IF school years are the best years of our lives, then the camaraderie, team spirit and fond memories of Milky Bars, helicopters, golf carts and pit stops, built up by competitors in interschools competitions surely adds to that belief.

Tomorrow marks the Equestrian Interschools Ireland (EII) league final. Each Saturday, reports, photos and results of this great initiative, one which often featured now-household equestrian names, appear in the Irish Horse World pages.

The current dynamic duo at EII’s helm are chairperson Helen O’Neill and secretary Yvonne Byrne.

Helen first served her time when her family represented Newbridge College in interschools competitions. In fact, some of her daughters even started in the pioneer years of interschools events at Enniscorthy, Portlaoise and hunter trials, before the present-day league format and EII committee was formed.

The O’Neills took part too at the much-missed Kings Hospital interschools event. Among its competitors was Kings Hospital past pupil and current Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar T.D. (FG).

Lifelong friendships were forged around the country during those years for the O’Neills and countless other families. She and younger daughter Alyssa still meet people they first met through interschool competitions, at RDS qualifiers, Eventing Ireland and SJI events.

“Equestrian Interschools Ireland has been providing great competition for many years. It is very popular with pupils who enjoy horse riding and like competing on behalf of their school,” said Helen.

“It is cyclical, in that pupils pass through the school system and leave the school family. It’s interesting to note, however, that many teachers who would have competed as pupils are now involved again through teaching at schools.”

“For instance, Mary Rothwell would have competed for Kilkenny College and is now very involved with Colaiste Bhride Carnew’s Equestrian Club.”

Helen recalled an earlier trip to Galway with two first year students on a Newbridge College team and how it dawned on one that the team was in with a chance of winning a coveted rug. “Does this mean I’ll win a rug? I’ve never won a rug!” Not-so-little things.

“Indeed, there are great prizes on offer [all sourced by the organisers] with main sponsor TRI Equestrian presenting prizes in the open team and individual league finals. EII sponsors the other leagues while Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) and Equiire sponsor the 1.10m and novice 90cms finals.”

Hickstead

The magnet down through the league’s lifetime is that opportunity to compete in Hickstead’s main arena. “Going there combines competition with bonding with other Irish competitors and fun trips to Brighton, over the three to four days over in England. Regulars travelling over were Colaiste Bhride Carnew, Loreto Mullingar and Newbridge College.”

For Yvonne, the sense of friendly rivalry, camaraderie and memorable Hickstead visits are uppermost. “You’ll see school teams getting together to travel to competitions. Newbridge College travelling in convoy with the Wesley College team to compete in Galway, stopping for breakfast on the way there and dinner on the way back.”

“Some of my best memories are travelling with teams, especially abroad and the incredible success the Irish have had in Hickstead,” she continued.

“The camaraderie among the Irish teams all stabled together in the old red brick yard, shouting and cheering each other on and the sharing of the only two available washbays. Rivals in the All-Ireland league and best of friends abroad.”

“We’d look on in awe as UK riders arrived by helicopter as their staff and sports physiologists cordoned off whole areas of fields with temporary fencing.”

Not to be outdone, the following year Newbridge College arrived at Hickstead with a golf cart emblazoned with the school logo. This led to all the UK teams going to the office to complain that they had no golf carts!

“To add to the sense of occasion, Paul Cuddihy, from Kilkenny College, always arrived looking dapper, kitted out in his black suit and bowler hat,” Yvonne added.

“The Kilkenny teams, to their credit, have a winning track record across the board. In 2005, they won both the junior team and individual, then the senior teams and individual finals: what an enormously proud occasion for the school.

“In 2014, they were back again with a win in the junior team and individuals. Newbridge College, who are very committed to making the long trip to Hickstead, took second place in juniors in 2017 but were back the following year to take a win in both the senior teams and individuals.

“My one abiding memory of that win was that Newbridge had not brought an Irish flag and Carnew’s Mary Rothwell ran from the stands so the team could parade proudly with the tricolour. All the Irish teams supporting each other.

“Borris Vocational kept the Irish tradition alive with a hard-fought win in 2019 in both the team and individuals events.

“The best fun was always the card games on the ferries, multiple truckstops along the way, tending to the ponies and watching all the riders as they rode under the Longines sign. Not just representing their schools but representing the long tradition of Irish schools riders doing their country proud.”

The taking part

Yvonne has noticed lifetime friendships built up along the ranks.

“All the schools riders know each other outside, whether they’re from Pony Club, IPS or SJI members or even the yards they stable their ponies. There are strong bonds of friendship which leads to respect, along with friendly rivalry.

“Where once they were on opposing teams in primary schools, they suddenly find themselves on the same secondary school team. They then go on to compete at intervarsities in colleges all over the country and could be on opposing teams again.

“There are rules in interschools but they’re all based around fair play and respect. Encouragement of younger riders and younger ponies allow young animals to be brought on over the winter giving them a more competitive edge come spring.”

“The HSI 1.10m class then allows the older riders to compete in a Premier series that acknowledges all the effort they have put in along with their parents and trainers.”

Mary Rothwell is another with equally fond memories. “From my time competing, the lasting memory is definitely the Milky Bar distributed to us as we finished our show jumping round, regardless of the outcome, by ‘the Milky Bar Kid’ himself, Paul Cuddihy!

“I’m also very grateful for the opportunities that interschools offered me, in particular competing in Hickstead and getting to jump in the main arena.

“My first involvement in interschools show jumping was as a student competing for Kilkenny College when there were only about three competitions each year. The EII committee has made many introductions over the years which has led to it, evolving into the fantastic competition it is today.”

What’s the best part of this world? “There was just a great sense of pride in representing your school. As a student it was instilled in us in Kilkenny College by Paul, teacher and chef d’equipe extraordinaire, that it was all about taking part and enjoying ourselves. Now it is a pleasure for us in Coláiste Bhríde, Carnew, where I now teach, to host schools from all around the country at our annual leg of the league which I coordinate.

“In our experience, achievements at interschools are very much a whole school achievement; if one team from a school gets into the jump-off and another doesn’t, the other students are shouting for their schoolfriends and share the success as well, building great camaraderie. To me, that is interschools!”

Balmoral

“My time in Coláiste Bhríde has continued to add to my interschools memories. We’ve had many wins and losses along the way over the years, gaining so much from all the experiences. We’ve been fortunate to win the league final on a number of occasions, to compete in Hickstead and also had the honour of hosting the equestrian interschools final ourselves in 2019.”

This weekend, the TRI Equestrian Interschools League Final takes place at Wexford Equestrian Centre. A Model County host venue is fitting after the work done by the pioneers of inter-school showjumping, headed by the late John Jude Doyle.

“The final moves around every two years in an effort to get a geographic spread. Support has always had a strong base in the south-east of the country, since this is where the league commenced, but over the years there was great support in the midlands and Galway region and it would be great to see this revived,” Helen observed.

“The showjumping final is always a day full of excitement, with points and a half on offer, which can shake the league table results up greatly. The very best of luck to all schools competing in Wexford Equestrian, enjoy your day!” added Mary.

The top five open teams in the league receive a cross-border treat as they will be invited to compete at the RUAS Balmoral show against five school teams from the north. The five northern teams will have qualified at various venues, including at The Meadows EC.

Covid was the only stumbling block to the league, leading to its cancellation during lockdown. An outbreak of foot and mouth near Hickstead called off the event one year. With the backing of Lizzie Bunn, a Hickstead in Ireland championship was organised in a matter of days at the alternative venue in Coilog EC.

Teaching pupils about Plan B back-up plans, as well as camaraderie and team spirit, that’s what the EII is about.