SECOND Lieutenant Erin Crawford from Castlefinn, County Donegal, has been assigned to the Army Equitation School. S/Lt Crawford (20) was commissioned at the commissioning ceremony of the 99th cadet class at the Defence Forces Training Centre in The Curragh, County Kildare, on Wednesday. The commissioning ceremony was attended by An Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lt Gen Seán Clancy.

Erin’s equestrian career began at five years of age when she learned to ride ponies. It wasn’t long before Erin realised that show jumping was her passion and that she wanted to make a career of it. Crawford had set her sights on applying for an equestrian cadetship in the Defence Forces long before completing the Leaving Certificate. Horses have been an integral part of her upbringing, having competed nationwide and internationally at show jumping events.