showjumping ireland

Interschooling Around

We are always delighted to see the variety of activities that our clients take part in across different disciplines. A group of our young riders have been taking part in the Equestrian Interschools showjumping league which runs throughout Ireland from Autumn to May.

Aoife Harrington, Lola Gabor Sweeney and Laura Kavanagh are three talented teenage riders who are stabled at Dunbyrne Equestrian and who attend Newbridge college and  compete for the school in team and individual competitions. The girls and their parents have travelled far and wide to compete at various venues throughout the country. 

Laura competes with her bay gelding Bobby who she became the owner of last year. The pair have gone from strength to strength and have become a really consistent team. Lola Gabor Sweeney competed up to recently with her pony Miss Gort who she unfortunately outgrew. Lola's new mount is a bigger horse, a bay gelding called Murphy. Lola has been getting to grips with her new horse and has made a quick and smooth transition already competing successfully with him just a few weeks into ownership. Aoife Harrington, a keen dressage rider is enjoying her first season at Interschools with her grey pony Milkyway (Cosmic). The pair had a very successful outing recently where they completed four clear rounds in one day. 

The girls have been consistent performers so far in the season achieving several team and individual placings. This weekend Lola and Aoife competed together on a team of just three instead of four riders at Wexford equestrian centre. This was also Lola's first competition on board Murphy. With a new partnership and a small team the group performed really well taking sixth place. 

We wish Laura, Lola and Aoife the very best of luck as they continue to represent their schools and Dunbyrne Equestrian in the Interschools League. 

Summer Competition Hots Up For Dunbyrne

Last weekend was a busy one for us and our clients. On Saturday Rory and Ross headed up to Coilog for Showjumping Ireland bringing three of the young horses with them. All three were bought as foals and professionally started and produced here at Dunbyrne Equestrian. Five year old bay mare DBS Looks Royale (Lux Z X Erins Cavalier/Cavalier Royale) and four year old bay gelding DBS Oisin (Shannondale Sacro X Leadmore Myth Ire) went clear in their class with Rory on board. Meanwhile four year old bay gelding DBS Cuchulainn (Pacino X Rassan Blaithin / Coolcoran Cool Diamond) was clear in the metre class with Sean Kavanagh on board. It is great to have the facilities of Coilog on our doorstep to help us to develop these young horses by allowing them to gain experience in the ring and over a variety of fences. 

Aoife Harrington was at Dressage Ireland on Saturday competing in the preliminary class with her pony Milkway (Cosmic). The pair took third place in their class with a great score of 69%. Aoife was delighted as this performance helped her to achieve her goal of qualifying herself and her pony for the National Dressage Championships in September in Cavan. Lorna has been coaching Aoife at dressage and was very proud to see her results. The pair will work together now towards the championships and the silver spurs. 

Ross and Lorna travelled to Annaharvey to compete at Eventing Ireland on Sunday. It was the second ever event for both horses with Lorna competing her own Sammy (DBS Second Chance) and Ross competing Mandy Driesch's Trakehner stallion Grand Marnier. Both horses performed well in dressage and had a double clear in the showjumping and cross country phases to finish on their dressage score. This left Ross in sixth place in the EI100 and Lorna the winner of the EI90 amateur. 

At Dunbyrne we love seeing our team, our clients and our pupils out enjoying their horses and achieving their goals whether those are in or out of the competition arena. If you have a goal you would like us to help you to achieve, please get in touch today.