AS the 2024 Dublin Horse Show draws to a close tomorrow afternoon, 35 members of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs will contest the Horseware Ireland team show jumping championship in Simmonscourt.
Eight clubs came through a qualifier in their own region, while the ninth, Greenhills, secured their place in the line-up when winning the wildcard qualifier at the AIRC Festival in Mullingar in early June. The 2023 champions, Carrickmines, earned the right to defend their title, when landing the South Leinster qualifier at Boswell in May. The teams are listed here in their drawn order of jumping, scheduled to start at 3.45pm.
Tinahely Riding Club (South East Region)
Chef d’equipe: Michael Byrne
Team members: Rita Naughton, horse trainer and instructor (Action’s Bond Girl W, 7yo m by Action Blue); Joanne Dagge Fortune, manager St Patrick’s Kiltegan (Kilbrackan Cavalier, 10yo g by Cavalier Royale) and Laura Levingstone, teacher (DS Little Missy, 12yo m by Kroongraaf).
North Cork Riding Club (South West Region)
Chef d’equipe: Virginia O’Donovan
Team members: Club treasurer Rosemary O’Connor, part-time farmer and property manager (Bolgerstown Contador Sky, 14yo g by Contador); Marie Sheehan, pre-school owner and teacher (Bo Peep, 15yo m by Feagh Cavalier); club safety officer Sarah Fitzgerald, works in family construction business and for The Donkey Sanctuary (Ballyedmond Star, 11yo g by Clonberne Dun) and club chairman John O’Flynn, semi-retired farmer (Hellena Boy, 16yo g).
Cheval Riding Club (North East Region)
Chef d’equipe: Ita Kinahan
Team members: Megan Gannon, primary school teacher (Cruise On Percy, 6yo g by Yeats); Leah McCormack, special needs assistant (A Little Golden, 11yo g by Uncle Paul); Edwin Fitzgerald (Moygannon April Diamond, 8yo m by Samjemgee) and club grading officer Laura Carrick, investment banking J.P. Morgan (Amura R, 7yo g by Namelus R).
The Cheval Red team pose following their success in the AIRC North Eastern Region RDS show jumping qualifier at Jordanstown, from left: Leah McCormack (A Little Golden); Edwin Fitzgerald (Moygannon April Diamond); Megan Gannon (Cruise On Percy) and Laura Carrick, captain (Amura R) \ Paul Lennox
Killcarrick Riding Club (West Leinster)
Chef d’Equipe: James O’Reilly
Team members: Conor O’Callaghan, agricultural advisor and consultant (Hot N Spicy, 21yo g by Sea Crest); Anne Creevey, owner and instructor Little Oak Equestrian (Cappuccino Man, 13yo g by Waveney); Lucy Maughan, student at St Wolstan’s Secondary School (Coppenagh Marley, 10yo g) and William Coughlin, retired (Craven Lodge, 15yo g by Ricardo Z).
Benbulben Riding Club (West Region)
Chef d’equipe: Breda Perrin
Team members: Cara Conway, advanced nurse practitioner (Cooley Are Cruising, 17yo g by Beach Ball); Sarah Dunleavy, occupational therapist (Lecarrow Silver Shadow, 7yo g by Numero Cruise); Deirdre Dolan, human resources manager (Roscrib Harry, 9yo g by Ringfort Cruise) and Vanessa Sweeney, recruitment manager (Woodbank Clover, 10yo m by Dunbeggan Grey Mist).
Greenhills Riding Club (Wildcard winner)
Chef d’Equipe: Anne Casey
Team members: Eimear D’Arcy, secondary school teacher (Sharragh Watermill, 16yo g by Watermill Swatch); Serena Alexander, office administrator (Bonnie, 22yo m); club chairwoman and treasurer Grainne Alexander, company director financial services sector (Cheeky Blonde, 14yo m by Cougar) and Olwyn Alexander, global partner PWC (Faline, 14yo m by Quality Time).
Mill Road Riding Club (West Midlands Region)
Chef d’Equipe: Deirdre Sheehy
Team members: Robert Watters, sales manager (Autumn Breeze, 16yo m by Harlequin du Carel); club chairman Fran Denny, landscaper (Lloydsboro Lad, 22yo g by Cloneen Clover); club grading officer Hanna Bjoremark, secondary school teacher and horse-riding instructor (Barun Rosie, 9yo m by Cobra) and Jennifer Denny, teacher (Wild Domaine, 22yo g by Lucky Valier).
Headfort Riding Club (Midlands Region)
Chef d’Equipe: Oisin Cooke
Team members: Club secretary and safety officer Lynsey Rogers, unemployment case officer (Oreo Lad, 16yo g by Castleforbes Noe); Emer McNamee, physical therapist and owner of Equiflexx Therapy (Happy Chap, 19yo g by Cavalier Two For Joy); Mary Govern, self-employed business owner (Roebuck Rascal, 9yo g by Road To Happiness) and Rachel Muldoon, customer sales representative (Ballymotey Carla Vision, 15yo m by Classic Vision).
Carrickmines Riding Club (South Leinster Region)
Chef d’Equipe: Paul O’Leary
Team members: Martina Delaney, homemaker with three children (Branraduff Bob, 12yo s by Drymills Bridgeboy); Paddy Fitzpatrick, accountant (Alexander Quay, 10yo m by FSS Correlli Bravo); Aigul Campbell, horse-riding instructor (Kings Cross, 19yo g by Romabo) and Selina Ann Osborne, retail health manager (RTS Lisa, 10yo m by Harlequin du Carel). Martina and Selina were members of last year’s winning team.