REPOSITIONING the Dublin Horse Show to the week before Galway means that instead of heading west in fighting fit form, I am wishing for a lengthy spa break instead. However, the magnet that is Ballybrit and its environs is a pull that cannot be resisted, and so the car is pointed for the M4 and M6.

Dublin Horse Show is a long week and, while it takes its toll, it is a great few days. My first involvement of the week is not actually at the show itself, rather it is duty as a safety steward in the arrivals area. Here the chief steward Mary Redmond runs the show with a ‘light but firm touch’ and she is surrounded by many volunteers who work tirelessly all week.