THERE is no way you can miss the fact that next week sees the start of the five-day Dublin Horse Show at the RDS in Ballsbridge. This iconic gathering, for the 148th time, will bring rural Ireland to the leafy heart of the capital city, and it is sure to be a spectacle.

This year’s show is being held on the back of some simply amazing success for Irish horses and riders, of all ages, and all we ask now is that the weather gods look kindly on the week. As a showcase for equines, equestrianism, food and entertainment, there is nothing like the Dublin Horse Show.

With its long history, which includes being held on the lawns of Leinster House from 1868 until the show moved to a greenfield site in ‘Ball’s Bridge’ in 1881, the show has evolved and changed to meet with the times, and yet much of the same remains. This is especially so in terms of the prestige attached to not only winning at Dublin, but even to competing there.

While I know that the show has changed, when I enter the grounds next Wednesday morning, it will still feel like a homecoming, evoking memories of childhood visits, and also to my early days in employment when our offices were based in the grounds of the Royal Dublin Society. In more recent years I have been a member of the team in arrivals, and so I may even greet you when you land in Dublin on Monday afternoon or on Tuesday.

Some weeks ago The Irish Field Dublin Horse Show Magazine went on sale, to great reviews from readers. Not only did Isabel Hurley and Judith Faherty put together an incredible publication, but they have kept some gems up their sleeve for this week’s supplement which is included in the paper. To all the contributors, photographers and to the team in headquarters who got behind both issues, I extend a warm congratulations.

I had the great pleasure of making a small contribution to this week’s supplement, telling the story of Diana Conolly-Carew, and her history making debut on the Irish team for the Aga Khan Trophy. That happened 60 years ago and I hope that the RDS will be acknowledging this important piece of history during the coming weeks. The roles played by both Diana and her brother, Patrick Carew, have been pivotal to the development of equestrian sports in Ireland, and they deserve our deep gratitude.

Make sure to drop by The Irish Field stand at the show this week – we have lots on offer, and you cannot miss us by the front door. I look forward to meeting you.