THE Eventing Ireland youths were busy dusting off the cobwebs and getting back out to some serious training recently. With schools off for midterm break, the Eventing Ireland youth committee took the opportunity to organise some George Mernagh Memorial Fund subsidised training days throughout the country, in preparation for the start of the season. There was a huge demand and all training days were fully subscribed, with upwards of 100 youths in total partaking over the course of the week.

The incredibly active Munster region kicked off proceedings at Maryville in Cork, where Badminton winner Caroline Powell challenged riders to tackle technical lines and turns, helping both horse and rider sharpen their cross-country skills. Meanwhile, dressage coaches Jane Kinsella and Gerald Bloomer put the riders through their paces on the flat. The action continued the next day in Greenogue, where Heike Holstein and Sue Shortt took over coaching duties for the Leinster region, under some welcome blue skies and spring sunshine. On Thursday, the North Leinster region took their turn at Emerald Equestrian Centre, with more dressage sessions led by Heike Holstein and Gerald Bloomer, alongside show jumping instruction from Cormac Rafferty.

Jane Kinsella and Heather Coyle then led some excellent training sessions in the Ballinasloe Showgrounds.

Over 70 young event riders then had a weekend of coaching and fun at last week’s camp at the amazing Castle Irvine, Necarne.

Performance Coaches here included Dag Albert, Heather Coyle, Debbie Byrne, Heike Holstein, Gerald Bloomer, Sue Shortt, Joanne Jarden, Alain Ponsot and Aoife Leggett. Other visitors and supporters included James A Jenkins of MoveRight and Keyflow Feeds, CAFRE, Hoofprints Innovations, Hungry Ginger, The Irish Field, CrossCountry App. Bolger Brothers Homevalue, Tiggy’s Trust, Eventing Ireland Northern Region and JRS Photography.

The youth committee’s overarching goal is to build a systematic, progressive, affordable, training programme designed to encourage horse and rider combinations to learn and progress under the tutelage of some of the finest coaches in the country.