TICKETS are selling fast to see legendary British show jumper Geoff Billington and other top international riders share the secrets of their success at a special event in Emerald Equestrian next weekend.

Two-time Olympian and Hickstead Derby winner Billington will be joined in Enfield, Co Kildare, on Saturday, January 25th by British 2020 Olympic gold medal-winning eventer Oliver Townend and Irish Grand Prix dressage rider Sorrell Klatzko, as well as experts in showing and rider mindset.

Fittingly, for a masterclass event organised by Irish brand Sandstorm Equestrian, Billington has revealed that he bought his first pony for just £1 – and its name was Sandstorm.

Event organiser and Sandstorm founder Amy Coyle hopes the event will build on the success of her brand’s launch last January, when over 800 people flocked to Emerald for a masterclass starring eventer Lucinda Green.

“We have very few opportunities for amateur riders to access first-hand training from incredible riders like these,” she said. “During the day, Geoff and Oliver will be giving show jumping and cross-country clinics at Emerald, over different heights, and then people can start arriving and grabbing their seats for the evening masterclass from 6pm.”

Equestrian mindset coach Jacques Malone will open the show, highlighting what goes through a rider’s mind in stressful situations like shows, and how to handle the pressure.

Billington is next on the schedule, putting two demo riders through their paces, highlighting a few of his favourite techniques, and undoubtedly entertaining the crowd. Oliver Townend will take over, with two cross-country riders acting as guinea pigs – one on a young horse, the other a more experienced combination.

Showing rider Sadhbh O’Connor, who won the four and five-year-old ridden Connemara classes at the RDS Dublin Horse Show last year, will then share her tips and tricks for success in the ring.

Finally, Sorrell Klatzko and her students will demonstrate their dressage skills on horses of various ages and stages, culminating in her first performance of a new Grand Prix Freestyle on her home-bred Gladiator, set to the music of Moulin Rouge.

The event is a fundraiser for My Lovely Horse Rescue. Tickets are €32.50 and can be purchased online through the sandstormequestrian.com website.