AHEAD of the 2024 Eventing Ireland season, which is scheduled to get underway at Frankfort Stud on Saturday, March 16th, over 30 EI officials attended the annual workshop which, courtesy of the McNally family, was held last Sunday at Clonmahon House, Summerhill.

Following registration at 9.30am, the workshop started 30 minutes later, when Pat Coleman, Chairman of the Stewards’ Committee, gave the introductions and thanked everyone for attending.

Henry Symington, British Eventing Controller, spoke about the importance of Control, including the roles and responsibilities it entails. Controllers run the cross-country and are the first point of contact with the fence judges, emergency services, fence repair, organisers and scorers. The Controller is responsible for getting medics to injured riders as soon as possible, as well as making sure the course is stopped, when there is a hold, and restarted when the course is clear.

British Eventing Controlloer Henry Symington at a recent seminar for Eventing Ireland officials

David Lee (Chairman of the Rules Committee) and Gillian Kyle (Steward General) informed those present about the proposed rule changes, which will be published on the EI website in due course. Olga Murphy (Health and Safety expert) spoke about the new Health and Safety checklist for national events, which will be introduced this year and the importance of getting this online form completed for every event.

Following a lovely lunch, generously supplied by the McNallys, the officials went outside for a practical demonstration from Adam Stevenson (FEI course designer), who showed how MIM clips should be fitted and what to check if the clip has been activated. Stevenson then advised how fences should be secured to the ground using spirafixes and discussed the options for securing portable fences in an arena.

Gillian Kyle and Alison Packman (Eventing Ireland’s General Manager) discussed the fall statistics presented at the FEI Eventing Risk Seminar, which took place over the weekend of January 20th and 21st. In closing the workshop, Pat Coleman thanked the attendees for their continued support and wished everyone a happy and safe 2024 season.

The delegates at a recent seminar for Eventing Ireland officials