Working pupil position with accommodation for rider and horse available

We have an exciting opportunity coming up for anyone wishing to join our team and train with us full time to become a BHS (British Horse Society) instructor at Dunbyrne Equestrian. The BHS exams are internationally recognised exams in riding, stable management and instruction / coaching. Successful candidates will train for these exams under our onsite BHS qualified instructors and BHSI. 

Dunbyrne Equestrian is a family owned professional yard located at the foot of the hill of Allen (five mins from Coilog). Dunbyrne Equestrian includes an AIRE approved riding school and a livery and competition yard.  Our top class facilities include a floodlit 70*50m arena, all weather sand gallops, heated rug room, spacious stables and wooded hacking area. 

This full time course will begin on the 21/08/2017. There are no course fees for this position, accommodation is available onsite at our yard in Kilmeague, Co. Kildare and you are also welcome to bring your own horse with you. It may also be possible to have exams and equipment paid for if certain criteria are met. 

http://www.aire.ie/index.php/courses/bhs-and-other/23-bhs-news/114-new-intake-of-cdetb-students-for-bhsai-traineeship-march-2015

While the course will begin on 21/08/2017 it will be required for anyone interested in the position to attend a trial day at the yard in advance. If you are interested in applying for this position please contact Michelle today at 085 8059529. 
 

AIRE Test Success for Dunbyrne Riding School

Last Saturday 18 of our riding school pupils took their first AIRE (association of Irish Riding Establishment) tests at Dunbyrne Riding School. The pupils, trained by our yard manager Michelle Leonard were tested on the day by Ross O'Hare (BHSI) riding either their own ponies or our riding school ponies.

Michelle does an amazing job of helping all of our pupils to develop and learn and the AIRE tests show the progression they all have made. All of the proud pupils received AIRE certificates from Dunbyrne Riding School. We celebrated afterwards with a barbecue in the yard where everyone enjoyed Len's legendary cooking skills. 

Foundation D Test recipients. 

Alex Noonan, L:aura Kavanagh, Blanaid Sharpe and Hallie Cullen

Foundation C Test recipients.

Molly Dunne, Amy Carty, Beth Dempsey, Martha WIlliams, Hanna Groves, Sinead Davitt, Lauren Power and Sive Murphy

Foundation B Test recipients.

Jessica Dunne, Jessica McBride, Ciaran Carty, Sienna Laffan, Gemma Carter, Alimay Conroy, 

Dublin Qualification for Megan & Mia

Megan Quigley was determined to qualify for the ladies side saddle class in the RDS Dublin Horsehow 2017. Megan competes with her chestnut mare Mia (With Or Without You)The pair travelled the length and breadth of the country in recent weeks to attend the hotly contested qualifiers.

Last Sunday at Athlone show Megan and groom Rebecca were delighted to earn their ticket to the side saddle class as Mia put in a fantastic qualifying performance. Rebecca's springer spaniel added some icing to the take taking himself home a ribbon in the gun dog classes!

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. 

Grand Marnier Starts His Eventing Career

Five year old Trakehner stallion Grand Marnier began his eventing career on Saturday at Killossery Lodge Stud. The buckskin stallion, owned by Mandy Driesch took part in the EI100 pre novice at his first ever event finishing eighth in a strong class. Grand Marnier aka Friday was ridden by Ross O'Hare and the pair finished on their dressage score after smooth clear rounds on the showjumping and cross country courses. It is the middle of breeding season for Grand Marnier who will hopefully have many foals on the ground next year but this did not phase the stallion at all with his manners as impeccable as ever. 

It was a great weekend of eventing for Dunbyrne riders with Lorna Keogh and DBS Second Chance and Ellen Merrins and Sillan Ludene making their eventing debut in the EI90 class. Rory O'Hare and DBS Anchorman competed in Clyda on Sunday in the 2* class. 

Successful Start to June for Dunbyrne Riders

The June bank holiday weekend saw success in the dressage and show ring for some of our riders. 

Sisters Orla and Aoife Harrington competed in Dressage Ireland at the National Sports Campus on bank holiday Monday. Fresh from her success at the riding clubs dressage qualifier, Orla continued her winning streak winning the elementary class with DBS Goldfever with over 70%. This was a lovely finish for Orla ahead of her leaving cert this week - she will be hoping to get the same scores in her exams! Aoife Harrington and her pony Cosmic (Milky Way) competed in the preliminary class. Aoife previously competed in an unregistered class and has been training to improve her riding of the test ahead of her first registered competition. The hard work paid off as she and her pony took first place on the day. 

On the same day Megan Quigley and Lorna Keogh headed to Killossery for their horse and pony show. Megan competed with her chestnut mare With or Without You (Mia) and Lorna competed with her chestnut gelding DBS Second Chance (Sammy). Megan and Mia won the lightweight hunter class and took second place in the side saddle class while Lorna and Sammy took second place in the Small Hunters and reserve champion. 

Success all round for Pippa at Punchestown

It was a red letter day for Pippa Durham, pupil of Ross O'Hare (BHSI), at the Kildare North Leinster IPS show last Sunday at Punchestown. Pippa was competing in the show ring on board Jim Delaney, Monsieur Frederico and grey mare Sky Dolly where she put her training into action and delivered consistent top performances. 

Pippa won the 153cm open working hunter on board bay gelding Jim Delaney and the pair went on to take reserve working hunter champion. They went on to win the 1.10m performance class as well as the 158 open working hunter. 

Up next was Ciara Durham's grey Connemara mare Sky Dolly who took second place in the metre performance class. Monsieur Frederico was third in the novice 153cm working hunter, winner of the over 16 Connemara working hunter and finished the day awarded reserve Connemara champion.

Well done Pippa!

Rory & DBS Anchorman top the results at Killossery

Last week saw great success for our liveries, clients and riders in the competition ring. Rory O'Hare started off the successful weekend taking first place in the Eventing Ireland CNC 1* at Killossery on Saturday the 27th May on board his nine year old bay gelding DBS Anchorman.

The pair topped the leader board after the dressage phase and finished in first place in the class of 25 horse and rider combinations. 

Dunbyrne Riding Club Win West Leinster Dressage Qualifier

Last weekend saw a fantastic result for our riding club based at Dunbyrne Stud. Kilmeague, Co. Kildare. Dunbyrne Riding Club had a team of four riders competing at the qualifier held locally on Sunday 28th May. 

Dunbyrne liveries Mum and daughter combination Clare and Orla Harrington formed half of the team with their horses Hunting Princess (aka Sapphire) and DBS Goldfever (aka Sonny). They were joined by fellow livery Suzanne Walsh and her horse Revery and fellow Dunbyrne Riding Club member Niamh O'Huid and her bay gelding Ser Kai.

All four riders are train under Dunbyrne Stud's resident BHSI Ross O'Hare. The training, dedication and hard work put in by these riders throughout the Winter and Spring paid off as they excelled at the qualifier to take first place. Youngest team member Orla Harrington put in a stellar performance to win the open qualifier with a personal best score of 81.33%. Orla achieved her first '10' for dressage movements in this test earning this highest score for one of her movements and for her riding.

Finishing with a team score of 221.49 the team have qualified for the AIRC (Association of Irish Riding Clubs) Connollys Redmills National Dressage Championships in August at Mullingar. We are extremely proud of our members and look forward to supporting our club and team as they work towards the Championships. 

Success for Dunbyrne members, clients and liveries at our Kavanaghs of Newbridge League Final

On Sunday the 21st May our riding club held the final leg of the West Leinster region of riding clubs Kavanaghs of Newbridge dressage league. We held the final here at Dunbyrne Stud in Kilmeague co. Kildare in our outdoor arena with the hill of Allen making a lovely backdrop. 

Our judges on the day were Patricia Creighton and Gisela Holstein. We had members from various clubs in the West Leinster region competing to earn the last league points towards the overall league results. 

Our club members fared well on the day and we were delighted to see our liveries, clients and pupils taking home well deserved rosettes. Suzanne Walsh took second place in the primary class with her chestnut gelding Revery. In the advanced primary class a trio of Dunbyrne livery clients took 3rd and joint fourth place. Rachel O'Sullivan achieved a great score of 70.63% on grey mare Firones Spear (aka Belle) to take third place. Jenny Brennan Hannigan and Papa Smurf (aka Harry Potter) and Clare Harrington and Hunting Princess (aka Sapphire) both earned 66.88% to share fourth place. Ellen Merrins competed in the intermediate class with her bay gelding Sillan Ludene, known to his livery buddies as Pepper. Ellen was delighted to take third place on her second dressage outing with her new horse. Orla Harrington and DBS Goldfever (aka Sonny) were third in the open class. Pupils of Ross O'Hare BHSI from outside of the yard also performed well on the day with Olwyn Alexander and Santero from Greenhills RC placing second in the intermediate class over 71% and Dermot O'Connor and Horse SIlver Lining II from Annaharvey taking third in the sportsmans.

As always our bakers were out in force for our show and our coffee shop raised €190 for the Irish Horse Welfare Trust. Thank you to our bakers and buyers! 

Raising funds for the Irish Horse Welfare Trust

Established in 1999, the Irish Horse Welfare Trust (www.ihwt.ie) is Ireland's largest dedicated equine charity. The charity work hard to help improve the lives of neglected, strayed and rescue horses at their base in Wicklow.  At every show that we run, Dunbyrne Riding Club collect funds for the IHWT. Our generous members and volunteers bake cakes and treats that are sold at the shows and all proceeds go towards the IHWT. 

Last year our club secretary Charlotte O'Hare received this letter from the IHWT thanking us for our donation of €335. Our next show will take place this Sunday, 21st May when we will host a leg of the West Leinster Kavanaghs of Newbridge dressage league at Dunbyrne Stud in Kilmeague. We will once again have a variety of baked goods on sale and the proceeds and any donations on the day will go to the IHWT. We are very proud to support an organisation who does so much for the welfare of horses. Please if you are here on Sunday, come and enjoy some baking and contribute to a good cause at the same time. 

Dunbyrne Riders enjoy Newbridge College Show

On Sunday the 7th May our lorry travelled to Newbridge College Show in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The lorry was filled with excited junior riders from Dunbyrne's livery yard and riding school along with well turned out horses and ponies that these riders had spent hours getting ready to shine.

The riders competed in a variety of derby and showjumping classes at the show and were delighted to bring home lots of rosettes. Hannah Groves and her bay pony Brogan took third place in the 60cm performance class. Sive Murphy and her new pony, dun gelding "Whats it all about" aka Cooper claimed second place in the 50cm performance. Lucy and Lola Gabor competed with their ponies Bubbles and Rosie. Chestnut gelding Bubbles delighted Lucy by winning the 40cm performance class while big sister Lola competed in the 80cm derby with her bay mare Rosie. 

Laura Kavanagh and bay gelding Bobby also competed in the 80cm derby taking it all in their stride. Blaithnaid Sharpe competed on board chestnut mare Flame in the 60cm performance and the pair took 4th place. Tabitha Walsh took 6th place in the 70cm performance class competing with her chestnut gelding Revery. 

Instructor and Dunbyrne Riding School manager Michelle Leonard was at the show to guide and advise her pupils on the day while Dunbyrne Equestrian owner Len O'Hare kept everyone well fed. Both were very proud of both the riders and ponies and their excellent performances and achievements. With the show wrapping up, the lorry was filled with tired happy riders with lots of rosettes bringing their ponies home for a well earned rest the next day.  

Our AIRE (Association of Irish Riding Establishments) approved riding school, based in Kilmeague, Co. Kildare offers group and private lessons for adults and for children aged 7 years +. If you and / or your child would like to learn to ride, give Michelle a call at 085 8059529

Lola & Rosie Qualify for Pony Club Championships

Our livery and Dunbyrne riding school client Lola Gabor and her pony Ms. Gort (aka Rosie) will be heading to the Irish Pony Club festival in September. The pair competed for the Laois branch of the Irish Pony Club on Bank Holiday Monday 1st May at the regional qualifiers held in JAG. They qualified for the championship in the 90cm showjumping classic. Well done Lola!

Red for Suzanne & Revery

A number of our clients travelled to Coilog this Sunday 30th April to compete in riding club in the latest leg of the Kavanaghs of Newbridge dressage league and the Linda Moore showjumping league. Jenny Brennan Hannigan and Rachel O'Sullivan competed in the advanced primary dressage with Papa Smurf (Harry Potter) and Firones Spear (Belle). Ellen Merrins had a great first day out showjumping and dressage with her bay gelding Pepper. Suzanne Walsh earned herself another league win taking first place in the primary dressage class. Suzanne was competing on board her chestnut gelding Revery. 

Dunbyrne Riding Club will host a leg of the Kavanaghs of Newbridge dressage league here at Dunbyrne Equestrian in Kilmeague on Sunday the 21st May. If you are interested in practicing your test in advance and receiving feedback and advice from our BHSI on how to achieve maximum marks on the day, we can organise a private or group session - give Ross a call at 086 2222440

Pony Rides at Punchestown

Ross was at Punchestown Racecourse this weekend with his team of helpers to give pony rides at the family fun day. This was a really busy day and several hundred children enjoyed a spin on board our riding school ponies Alistair, Cooper, Barney and Archie. These ponies are well trained and very quiet and didn't bat at eyelid at the busy funfair rides beside them or the bright face paint on many of the children! There were some very brave two and three year olds who were delighted to sit in the saddle for the first time.

We are very proud of our team of helpers who are great ambassadors for Dunbyrne Riding School and who made sure that every child had great fun. If you met us at Punchestown and would like to speak to us about starting riding lessons for you and / or your children at our AIRE approved riding school, give us a call on 0858059529 / 086 2222440. 

Grand Marnier Earns WSI approval at Millstreet

Ross O'Hare travelled to Millstreet this month to ride Mandy Driesch's buckskin Trakehner stallion Grand Marnier in the WSI (Warmblood Studbook of Ireland) stallion inspections.

Grand Marnier, by dressage stallion Steinburg out of anglo arab mare Glitters Dream Girl was shown on the flat, over a track of showjumping fences and in hand on Thursday evening 13th April. This performance was deemed above the standard required making Grand Marnier eligible for assessment as an eventing stallion over cross country fences the next day. Ross and Grand Marnier put in a great performance on the cross country track resulting in a unanimous decision by the judging panel to approve the stallion while still stood on the cross country field without the need to come back for a test rider assessment.

So on Good Friday, the day before his fifth birthday, Grand Marnier aka Friday (stable name) was approved by WSI as an eventing stallion. We are delighted for Friday's owner Mandy Dreisch and with the positive feedback received from the judging panel on Grand Marniers rider, training and presentation. 

Dressage Ireland Winter Finals

Last weekend was a brilliant weekend for Ross at Cavan at the Dressage Ireland Winter finals. He won his prelim and novice tests on his own DBS Matisse on day 1, scored 70% on Mandy Driesches Trakehner stallion Grand Marnier on day 2 and won the prelim category two championship in the evening with DBS Matisse.