TREC Ireland is proud to announce that five of its riders, Rosemarie Bryson, Sheaffe Monteith, Sonia Serramia, Elaine Dolan-Crowley and Anna McCarthy, will be representing the nation at the TREC GB National Championships.

The event is taking place in south-west Scotland this weekend (16th to 18th), and is being hosted by South of Scotland TREC. The Irish teams are eager to showcase their talents on this international stage!

We caught up with the five ladies to get their thoughts on this wonderful sport.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your horse?

Sonia: “I am a Spanish vet that came to Ireland for the love of horses, my horse Riley came from a trekking centre on the Glens of Antrim. We gelled together and ultimately found TREC, our love.”

Sheaffe: “My name is Sheaffe and my horse’s name is Benny. He is a 16-year-old cob and we have known each other for nearly seven years. I adore him – he is my friend, therapist and teacher.”

Rosemarie: “The Irish TREC family has been a part of my life for nearly 20 years now. My young horse of the moment, my beautiful Connie Belle, on the other hand has only enjoyed a couple of years so far, as we have only been together for just over two years. We are both passionate!”

Anna: “My pony is a 21-year-old Polo mare! I am 68 and ridden all my life, doing show jumping, even winning the 148 RDS pony championships! I’ve also evented, did point-to-point and I still (try to) play polo.”

Elaine: “I’ve been doing TREC for many years. I take part in all TREC competitions that are held within Ireland. It is great travelling around to the various parts of Ireland and riding on various terrains. I started back with TREC in 2016 and, since then, have competed at three international events. In 2019 at the British Championships Level 2A and Inner Mongolia, China, in October 2019. Most recently was at the World Championships held at Lemontte-Beuvron, France, in Aug 2022.

“I have a new partnership with my mare, Princess Eve. She was welcomed into our family in December 2021. We are building up a good partnership and understanding of what she is expected to do at our three-phase events. She enjoys the unique discipline of TREC, as each competition is never the same. We are going to enjoy our first international event together in Scotland.”

What makes TREC different from other horse sports?

Sheaffe: “TREC is different from other horse sports, as it offers so much variety. It encourages a massive partnership between horse and rider, and incorporates many different skills throughout the obstacles, including jumping, control of gait and in-hand work. You also get to travel to beautiful unspoilt areas during the orienteering.”

Anna: “Absolutely any type of rider and /or horse can compete and be extremely successful.”

Rosemarie: “It is so good for a young horse. Gives them confidence and experience of lots of different aspects of life. They have the opportunity to learn at their own pace, as no obstacle is compulsory. They can try and move on to the next obstacle if it is not for them yet. There is also a huge social aspect to TREC. Weekends away are such fun for both horses and riders.”

Sonia: “It puts the mind of the rider to work, while still riding and managing your horse. It does not need an expensive horse or bloodlines to be competitive!”

Sheaffe Monteith and Benny are on the Irish team competing at the TREC GB National Championships being held in Scotland

Can you describe in three words your preparation process for the TREC GB National Championships?

Sonia: “Intention, focus, perseverance.”

Sheaffe: “Consistent, progressive, training.”

Rosemarie: “Prepare, prepare and prepare!”

Anna: “Calmness, control, accuracy.”

Elaine: “Commitment, patience, enjoyment.”

What advice would you give to riders who are interested in starting TREC or looking to improve their TREC skills?

Sonia: “Add TREC training in every aspect of your life, not just when riding or doing TREC: you can use the compass when walking the dog and add PTV every time you ride your horse.”

Sheaffe: “Give it a go! Don’t be nervous, ask questions and have fun!”

Rosemarie: “Enjoy the journey of discovery, of your country., of your continent, with your horse and with your TREC family!”

Anna: “Just go and have a go. Be confident. Anyone and any horse can do it!”

Thank you so much, ladies and we wish you the best of luck!

Background of TREC

TREC, which stands for Techniques de Randonnée Équestre de Compétition, is an equestrian discipline that originated in France and has since gained popularity across Europe. The competition tests the skills of horse and rider through three challenging phases:

PTV, which involves navigating obstacles commonly encountered while traversing varied terrain (think handy horse or working equitation).

POR, an orienteering phase completed on horseback.

MA, which measures the rider’s control over their horse’s paces, specifically focusing on the precision of slow cantering and fast walking.

TREC is suitable for all ages, experience levels and horses. If you’re interested in starting TREC, you can find Leinster TREC, Midlands TREC, TREC North, West Cork TREC, Sperrin TREC and TREC Ireland on Facebook or online with a quick Google search.

TREC Ireland can be contacted at secretary@trecireland.com and can put you in touch with your local TREC club.