A.I.R.C. Ltd reserves the A.I.R.C. Ltd reserves the right to amend, alter, rightortocancel amend, alter, any of this schedule should the need arise. or cancel any of this schedule should the need
Committees & Regional Secretary’s
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors, also known as the Executive Committee, is an eight member committee appointed by the National Committee. Each member is elected to serve a three year term and is eligible for re-election. They work in a voluntary capacity and can be contacted through National Office.
Current Members: Chairman: Tony Ennis Vice Chairman: Kevin McGuinness Members: Dermot Brislane Thomas Daniels, Fiona Furey, Dympna Gibbons, Grainne Healy, Emily McDonagh President: Helen Mangan Vice President: Gerry Thompson
National Committee
The National Committee comprises of 24 members, three directly elected by each region annually. It meets 4 to 5 times a year.
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Current Members: Midlands: Ann Bloomer Grainne Healy Caroline Lynch North East: Louise Duffy Kevin McGuinness Louise Somers South East: Dympna Gibbons Melissa O'Connor Claire Nulty South Leinster: Hilary McHugh Jane Power Peter Roberts
087 2369522 086 8374179 086 2743460
086 8877680 087 6707201 086 2895264
086 3645432 087 8337386 087 6108944 086 8239515 087 2626936 086 6016176
South West: Mike Hurrell Fiona Leahy Jane Morgan West: Thomas Daniels John McArdle Kean O'Hara West Leinster: Fiona Furey Emily McDonagh Karyn Jamieson West Midlands: Dermot Brislane Tony Ennis Doreen Egan
086 2475506 087 2622378 086 2719296 087 2539941 087 9028801 086 2585946 087 2583928 087 2467349 086 0239125
087 6757292 086 8617698 086 8164205
Regional Secretary’s
Midlands: Grainne Healy 086 8374179 midlandsregion@airc.ie North East: Louise Duffy 086 8877680 northeastregion@airc.ie South East: Helen O’Byrne 086 8128959 southeastregion@airc.ie South Leinster: Hilary MacHugh 086 8239515 southleinsterregion@airc.ie South West: Orla O’ Kelly 086 8457862 southwestregion@airc.ie West: Corin Gaughan 085 1036235 westregion@airc.ie West Leinster: Paddy Carroll 087 7404257 westleinsterregion@airc.ie West Midlands: Doreen Egan 086 8164205 westmidlandsregion@airc.ie
Under statutory instrument, horse owners and keepers are required to register all premises with the Department of Agriculture, effective from 1st May 2012.
To register, owners and keepers of equines need to fill out a form which can be obtained on the Department of Agriculture website or from your local district veterinary office. For further information, visit www.agriculture.gov.ie
Membership Online, your gateway to online entries and more
Each member, when they join the Association, is automatically allocated a membership online account.
This gives you access to your account information, grades, registered horses, previous results at national events and also access to enter national events online. You can also update your contact information such as your postal address, contact telephone numbers and your email address. To access your account go to www.airc.ie and click on
Membership Online.
Stay in touch
Have you registered your contact information on your membership online account?
If you haven’t, you may miss out on email or text updates on riding club activities.
Log onto your membership online account and update your contact information including postal address, mobile phone number and email address to stay in the loop.
Link-Up, the publication of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs, is designed and edited by David Abbott.
Equine premises registration with Agriculture department
News in Brief
This service is provided free of charge. Go to www.airc.ie and then select membership online (it’s located in the top right hand corner!). Don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, go to www.airc.ie and click on the links!
Need to contact National Office?
National Office is open Monday to Friday between 09:30 to 13:30 and 14:00 to 17:00 by calling 045 854 555 or emailing info@airc.ie. Cover Photograph: Members from Castle Hill Riding Club who won the Irish Field Musical Dressage Ride at the Riding Clubs Festival last year. (Pic: Dave Stanley)
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Horse Trials Championships
Qualifiers for the popular Horse Trials Championships get underway next month. Up to 4 rider and horse combinations qualify in the Advanced Primary, Intermediate and Advanced Intermediate level at each qualifier.
Qualification for the Open and Advanced Open championships is not required. If a rider and horse combination has already qualified, the next highest placed rider will go forward to the final from the qualifier.
Riders may qualify at any of the eight qualifiers. Horses must be registered with National Office on the national database before entering a championship qualifier.
An updated list of qualified riders is published on www.airc.ie after each qualifier.
A.I.R.C. reserve the right to alter, amend or cancel any of this schedule or part there of.
A.I.R.C. Ltd reserves the A.I.R.C. Ltd reserves the right to amend, alter, right to amend, alter, or cancel of this schedule should the need arise. or cancel any any of this schedule should the need
Horse Trials Qualifiers
The final will take place on Sunday 7th September 2014 at Gurteen College, Ballingarry, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary.
Visit www.airc.ie for further information on this championships.
Championship Qualifiers 2014
18th May 25th May 22nd June 29th June 20th July 27th July 3rd August
SE SW WM NE WL M
Kilmanahan, Co. Kilkenny Stradbally Hall Estate, Co. Laois Farrengalway, Co. Cork Hillcrest EC, Co. Limerick Cloncaw Equestrian, Co. Monaghan Marguerite Lodge, Co. Kildare Corbeagh House, Co. Longford.
Championship Final
7th September
Gurteen College, Co. Tipperary
Visit www.airc.ie for up-to-date information on these qualifiers as the dates are subject to change. Another date for a qualifier will be confirmed shortly . 4
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Masters Series Qualifiers
The Masters Series gets underway in April when the first of eight qualifiers take place in Kilkenny.
There’s training bursaries worth over €1,000 and a Hit Air safety vest worth almost €500 on offer at the final in September for those who qualify.
The show jumping series is open to intermediate, advanced intermediate, open and advanced open riders with three divisions.
There are three divisions in the series - a) Intermediate, b) Advanced Intermediate and, c) Open and Advanced Open.
The top six rider and horse combinations from each division will qualify
for the final at each regional qualifier (see below for dates).
Riders may qualify at any of the eight qualifiers around the country.
Horses must be entered under their registered name as described on their passport. They must also be registered with National Office on the national database.
At the series final, competitors will gain points towards the league table from a maximum of three classes per division, one of which must be the grand prix.
A.I.R.C. reserve the right to alter, amend or cancel any of this schedule or part there of.
€1,000 Bursaries & Hit Air Vest on offer!
Training bursaries will be awarded to the top three in each division at the final on Sunday 14th September.
For further information, visit www.airc.ie and go to Events and National Competitions.
Masters Series Qualifiers 2014
27th April 4th May 4th May 11th May 1st June 22nd June 24th August 31st August
Warrington East Cork Benbulben Inishowen Cheval Greenvalley Winterdown Anvil
Top Flight EC, Co. Kilkenny Maryville Stables, Co. Cork Tubberbride Stables, Co. Sligo Lenamore Stables, Co. Donegal Jordanstown, Co. Dublin Boswell EC, Co. Wicklow Kildare International EC, Co. Kildare Roscrea EC, Co. Tipperary
Visit www.airc.ie for up-to-date information on these qualifiers.
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Team Show Jumping Championship
Horseware Team Show Jumping Championship
Last year over 125 teams sought qualification for the final of the Horseware sponsored Team Show Jumping Championship at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.
This makes it undoubtedly the most sought after title of the Association’s six national championships.
Eight qualifiers take place each year and teams may only qualify at their respective regional qualifier.
Teams of 3 or four members (and at least two nominated reserves), made up of two riders who will jump a 0.90m course (these could be made up of two Intermediate or one
27th May 4th May 4th May 11th May 18th May 18th May 25th May 25th May
Intermediate and one Advanced Intermediate) and two riders who will jump a course not exceeding 1.00m (these could be made up of any of the following grades: Advanced Intermediate, Open or Advanced Open with a maximum of one Advanced Open. There must always be one Intermediate rider on the team.
The team that wins the regional qualifier goes forward to the final. The second placed team from each qualifier will go forward to the Wild Card Qualifier at the Riding Club Festival. The winner of this competition will go forward to the final on Sunday 10th August at the Dublin Horse Show.. For further information, visit www.airc.ie and go to Events and National Competitions.
Championship Qualifiers 2014 WM M SW WL SL NE SE W
Roscrea Equestrian Centre, Co. Tipperary Mullingar Equestrian Centre, Co. Westmeath Maryville Stables, Co. Cork Coilog Equestrian Centre, Co. Kildare Boswell Equestrian, Co. Wicklow Keran's Equestrian Centre, Co. Down Coolboy, Co. Wicklow Tubberbride Stables, Co. Sligo
Visit www.airc.ie for up-to-date information on these qualifiers 7
A.I.R.C. Ltd reserves the A.I.R.C. Ltd reserves the right to amend, alter, rightortocancel amend, alter, any of this schedule should the need arise. or cancel any of this schedule should the need
Riding Clubs Festival
Two days of equestrian fun at the Riding Clubs Festival
The Riding Clubs Festival takes place on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th June at Stradbally Hall Estate. From its beginnings at Punchestown Racecourse in 1991, it has steadily grown to what it has now become.
Last year almost 800 horses competed in over 70 competitions across a range of disciplines.
Every level, from Primary right up to Advanced Open, is catered for with a range of competitions each day.
In show jumping there are competitions for individuals, teams and also some novelty classes such as power and speed and accumulator.
Dressage enthusiasts are accommodated with a range of competitions from individual, pairs and teams to dressage to music, musical ride, long arena tests and prix caprilli.
The five showing rings are a hive of activity throughout the weekend with a range of championships up for grabs including the Carl Geisler Memorial for the supreme ridden 8
horse. The best of breed is rewarded with the Eddie Fowler Memorial trophy while newcomers to showing compete for the Frank Mangan Memorial. There’s also a working hunter championship with performance hunter classes for Primary and Advanced Primary. Stabling is available from Friday 7th June at 2pm until Sunday at 6pm at €90 per stable.
Entries cost €16 for individuals, pairs cost €32 while team entry’s are €64. Postal entries close on Wednesday 23rd April while online entries open on Monday 21st April until 12 noon on Wednesday 7th May.
For further information, visit www.airc.ie and go to Events and then National Competitions.
The Association would like to acknowledge the following sponsors for their continued support:
Riding Clubs Festival
Primary Individual Advanced Primary Individual Intermediate Individual Advanced Intermediate Long Arena Open Individual Musical Ride Novice / Expert Pairs Young Horse Show Jumping Primary Teams Advanced Primary Teams Intermediate Individual Advanced Intermediate Individual Open / Advanced Open Individual Adv. Intermediate Power & Speed Open / Adv. Open Power & Speed Veteran Riders Clear Round Jumping
Showing Lightweight Hunter Mediumweight Hunter Heavyweight Hunter Side Saddle / 4 Year Old* / Mares* The Carl Geisler Memorial C’ship* Small Hunters Riding Horse (Up to 158cms) Riding Horse (Over 158cms) Cobs (Lightweight / Heaveyweight / Maxi) Primary Performance Hunter Adv. Primary Performance Hunter Intermediate Performance Hunter Coloured Horse (Up to 158cms / Over 158cms)) Veteran Horse
Sunday 8th June Dressage
Primary / Adv. Primary Prix Caprilli Intermediate Prix Caprilli Intermediate Long Arena Advanced Intermediate Individual Open Long Arena Advanced Open Advanced Open Long Arena Team Dressage Dressage to Music (AI/O/AO) Dressage to Music (P/AP/I) Fancy Dress Pairs Veteran Rider / Veteran Horse
A.I.R.C. reserve the right to alter, amend or cancel any of this schedule or part there of.
Saturday 7th June Dressage
Show Jumping Primary Individual Advanced Primary Individual Intermediate Power & Speed Intermediate Teams Advanced Intermediate Accumulator Open / Advanced Open Accumulator Team Show Jumping Challenge Clear Round Jumping
Showing Irish Draught Irish Draught Performance Hunter Connemara Connemara Performance Hunter Ex Racehorse / Thoroughbred Ex Racehorse (Performance) Traditional Irish Cob / Arabs The Eddie Fowler Memorial C’ship* Introduction to Showing Primary Showing / Novice Showing The Frank Mangan Memorial C’ship* Working Hunter (Intermediate)* / (4 & 5 Year Olds) / (AI/O/AO) / C’ship* Riding Club Horse Primary / Adv. Primary
* Qualification required. This list is provided for guideline purposes only and must be read in conjunction with the event schedule.
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Dressage Championships
New format increased participation The changes to the qualification aspect of the Dressage Championships, which were introduced last year, proved popular.
It resulted in an almost 50% increase in the number of teams seeking qualification to the championships last year.
To qualify, clubs are permitted to enter teams of three or four riders. These must contain no more than two riders from any one grade representing no less than two grades. Reserves must also be nominated in advance of the qualifier.
The number of teams qualifying at each regional qualifier will depend
on the number of teams which start on the day of the qualifier. One team for every four teams, or part thereof, will go forward to the championships. Teams, however, may only qualify at their respective regional qualifier.
In the individual classes, the top four rider and horse combinations from the Advanced Primary, Intermediate and Advanced Intermediate classes at each qualifier will go forward to the championships. Individuals, however, may qualify at any of the qualifiers.
If an individual rider and horse combination has already qualified at a previous qualifier, the next best placed rider will go forward.
For further information, visit www.airc.ie and go to Events and National Competitions.
Dressage Qualifiers 2014
4th May SE 18th May M 25th May WL 15th June NE 22nd June WM 29th June SW 6th July W 20th July SL
Daverns Equestrian Centre, Co. Tipperary Kilrainey Equestrian Centre, Co. Kildare Punchestown Racecourse, Co. Kildare Broadmeadows Equestrian Centre, Co. Meath Clonshire Equestrian Centre, Co. Limerick Faugh, Co. Kerry To be confirmed To be confirmed
Visit www.airc.ie for up-to-date information on these qualifiers 11
Events Calendar
Make sure to visit the Events Calendar on www.airc.ie for an up-to-date list of activities happening in your area. 12
Around the Regions
Your photos from around the regions
We would like to thank everyone who sent in photos from around the country during the past year. Don’t forget to send yours in by emailling them to yourphotos@airc.ie throughout the year.
Above: Clonough members present the IHWT with a cheque for almost â‚Ź2,000 from their Benefit night last year.
Above: Bel Airs Becky Lee had a success outing at last years Riding Clubs Festival on Sir Frederick. Below: Ballinasloe secretary Niamh Macken in action at a local riding club show on Captain Smirnoff.
Above: Des Ellard (right) was made president and honorary member of Carne Riding Club at a recent 30 year reunion of the Club in Wexford. 13
Compiled by Kerry Creaven
Dressage Tests
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