Great nights jumping at Carlingford Equestrian Centre. Lovely to see some new faces, from people travelling as far as Ardee, Dundalk and Newry.

Results 30cms

1st Loius Quinn  Neptune
2nd Sinead Maguire Minnie
3rd Leah Molly Quinn Neptune
4th Moya louet Feisser Beauty

50-60cms

1st Holly Maguire Willow
2nd Moya Louet Feisser Beauty

80-90cm

1st Sharon Cowan Jack
2nd Clodagh Mckevitt Dancer
3rd Kayleigh Brady Rambo
4th Martin O'Rourke Bailey
Ellie Meade  Billy

Also a big thankyou to all the show organisers and judges at Newry show, We did great, Nicky finally got his first place in Medium weight Hunter he was so happy and second in veteran horse.

Also a massive well done to Olivia , second in family pony and first in the Fancy Dress she look amazing. Her big sister Nicole also made us all very proud coming second in small riding horse on Ed. Well done also to Zoe Hannah. Myself and Martin are all really happy with you all.

THE STORY OF HYMESH AND HIS FELLOW FRIENDS


B...rrr. Hymesh gave out a long, loud sigh and looked ominously around him at the strange men with funny hats and flashing lights on silly white cars.
He could see Cairlinn talking to them.
 'What's the problem?' He muttered under his breath. 
 ' I'm only heading home to Carlingford. If I crossed over the fields, it would be too  strenuous! The most direct route to Carlingford from Mullatee is the road.'
Hymesh sighed again, turned his back on everyone and trotted towards Carlingford,the big lights, music and friends.

As he ambled on , regardless of the commotion he had caused, he remembered his dream. Sixpence had been annoying him all evening. Her pretty head and delicate legs had beaten him to 3rd place in the dressage league. 1st had been Grace Kelly on Wildfire. 2nd had been Jenny on the great Pompey. He had thick legs like me, but they were just a bit longer.Joint 3rd was Katie on the annoying Sixpence and Sinead Maguire on Minnie.
 Charlotte and I were 4th.

 Sixpence had nudged me again. I remembered snorting back to her. 'At least

I was 2nd in the two phase league  with Charlotte and didn't throw my rider off!'

She danced around me on those pretty legs and said.

 'You were 2nd. Moya Louet Feisser was 1st on Beauty.

'

 I gave up, lay down and went to sleep. I dreamt that I was a beautiful black stallion,a race horse, with a flowing mane and tail, that had no sweet itch. People applauded me and shouted with praise as I galloped effortlessly along the race track. In reality, I had sleep walked onto the Greenore road and created all this fuss with the Gardai!

 Cairlinn followed me back and put me in a stable between Henry and Indie. Martin had set a lovely bed of straw. The only option was to lie down and go to sleep.

 No chance of that!!!

' Well, old boy?' Whinnied Indie.

'Are you not supposed to be in a field of grass?'

 'I was racing.' I whinnied back

  'Racing!!' Both Indie and Henry laughed.

 'You're too old to race!' Henry said.

 ' Indie and I do all the competitions on this yard. I'm doing elementary dressage and have qualified for the Northern Ireland Championships and Indie has qualified for the National Championships.'

 'Oh.' I replied dozing off, then awoke suddenly. Cairlinn was talking to her phone, or maybe herself! And Yes she was bringing me a bucket of food.

 'Look what is coming in my direction.' I laughed at the boys and spun around with joy. Cairlinn came in my stable, fed, patted and hugged me.

 'You're a great man Hymesh.' She said. The children from the riding school love you. The grammar school finished their 2nd training session last week. A couple of the students were from Hong Kong and Pakistan. When they left they gave me a present to give you.'

 She placed a special sweet itch rug around my body and head.

 'This will protect you Hymesh from the flies and sun. The children said that they love you.You gave them confidence and a belief that anything is possible, even racing.'

 She winked at me and left the stable smiling

Before I start with this week's blog Carlingford Lough Equestrian Centre would like to give our sympathies to Martin, his mother and brother after the sudden death of Kieth. Our thoughts are with you.

 Once again and much to everyones surprise, temperatures remained high and yes the sun shone again! Look at the boys enjoying the sunshine.

 Will was in good spirits, his clinic with Phoebe, combined with his flat work training with Cairlinn has given him  the boost to go eventing. Well done Will and enjoy☺.

 The grammar school had their training session on Tuesday with Cairlinn. They were given a demonstration by our farrier on foot care and maintenance as well as their ridden and pratical instruction. Their last session will be next Tuesday and we will miss them.

 Fortunately we will see Hannah, Carl and Elizabeth back on summer placement.

 Nicky( that's a horse) is still on an extended Winter holiday. We will have to get his preparation ready soon for Lurgan show in June.

The jumping and dressage leagues are becoming very competitive. I am delighted to see visitors from other equestrian centres and to see Nicole jump her first 90cms. This is great training for her Working Hunter season.

 Jenny McCann competed on her first X country at Warrenpoint and District Riding Club. She was on the gentle giant, Pompey He may be a gentle giant but his jockey was dynamite . Well done Jenny.

 Cairlinn was over teaching Warrenpoint Riding club members this week. Their new Working Hunter fences are excellent and the twelve members benefited well from this new addition to their club.

 Catriona is also coming on extremely well with her training for her BHS Stage 1 exams.

 Once again thanks to support and sponsorship from Boyd's stores and CC craft

and tack shop and of course to the children and our four legged faithful friends.☺

The .morning of the Northern Ireland Dressage Festival dawned wet but thankfully not too cold.

 Both dressage horses, Indie and Henry were beautifully prepared for their big day by Martin and it reflected in their excellent performances . Henry rode a good test for his first elementary and Indie came 5th in his class with a cracking score of 71% to qualify him for the Irish National Championships.

Our other competition horse, Nicki, along with Indie and Henry had full sets of shoes put on them in preparation for the showing/dresssge season.

 Things were quieter with the riding school this week as communions and confirmations are the highlights for each family with young children.

 Lessons were concentrated on jumping with particular emphasis on practising the water tray. Holly and Willow were a good combination but Autumn was having none of it!

 Eileen joined in the ladies group. The ladies concentrated on their dressage techniques. The first movement of a dresssge test, enter at A and continue in a straight line to C, is usually the hardest ( nerves etc). The ladies mastered it perfectly by the end of the lesson. Well done and good luck for the 14th May.

 Will Glendenning took Blue to Killeagh show to practise mastering both his dressage and show jumping in the Working Hunter class.

 Keep practising everyone for next week end's show and thanks to all our little and big people who keep Carlingford Lough Equestrian Centre a little horsey haven☺

Dressage commences again on Friday 14th. Judge Christina Keane. Please have all entries in for this Thursday before 12 clock please.

Thankyou again for CC CRAFT AND TACK SHOP AND BOYDS STORES OF NEWRY FOR THEIR KIND SPONSORSHIP.

A massive shift in the weather surprised us all this week. The woolly hats and scarves were part of the daily dress and heavy rugs were put back on the horses. The horses were not fooled by Mother Nature though as they had not yet shed their hairy winter coats? 

 Competitors were not put off by the weather and attended our week-end shows with typical nervousness and determination.

 Our dressage classes Intro and Prelim 13 were ridden well and marked highly by our dressage Ireland judge, June O,Reilly

Una and Jenny were immaculately turned out for the show and the vetran Pompey, a true elegant gentleman's horse produced two good tests. Una and Jenny were placed 3rd and 4th. 1st and 2nd placings were awarded to a delighted Grace Kelly and Mary Joe.

 The prelimary test was deservedly won by Martin O'Rourke on the ever improving Princess. Kristina who had to rush from work that morning was placed a close 2nd behind him with Moya coming 3rd and Will on the show jumper Blue 4th.

 The show jumping was exciting. Children and Adults a like were electric with anticipation and fear. Everybody, horses and ponies jumped out of their skins. They were super.

  The 50 - 60cm class was won by Indie on Rosie, 2nd was Nicole on Ed, 3rd Holly on Willow and 4th was Moya on Beauty.

 Clodagh and Will fought it out for the 90cm. Will's Blue pipped Clodagh's Dancer to win the class.

  A great week thank you to all who keep the  wheels of Carlingford Lough Equestrian Centre moving☺Also a big shout out for Milly to get better soon from all her friends at Carlingford Equestrian Centre.

THE START OF OUR SPRING COMPETITIONS

Saturday was the first of our dresssage competitions at Intro and Prelimary level. A good entry set the bar high to make it a very competitve day. 

 Riders from Wheatfield equestrian centre took the journey around the lough to join us in Carlingford. Bethany and Katie diligently spent an hour learning and practising there tests before facing our new judge from Dressage Ireland, Christine Keane.

 They set a great example.Check out the web site www.carlingfordloughequestrian.com for results.

 Martin well deserved his excellent 2nd placing on Princess. He has worked hard and it paid off. Martin must also be praised for the effort he put in to the cleaning and plaiting of the ponies for Saturday's competition.

There are two mini riders Tiernan Thomas and Leah Molly at our equestrian centre who are coming on great. They will definitely be ready to enter the next phase of show jumping and dressage.

 This week was also the first visit from Dundalk Grammer school transitional year students. Welcome to the two new students Mallaek and Elizabeth. Sharon Brown, the year head co-ordinator has also joined in, riding her old friend Neptune.

 These students were beginner riders in the Autumn session. They were a little nervous at first but once they took up the reins it was like riding a bike. Well done to everyone.

  My own competition horses, Henry and Indie are being trained now for the up coming Northern Ireland Dressage Festival.

 
A big thanks again to Christine, Martin and all our competitors.

The playful madness of the Easter camps was infectious. The ponies and horses all had to have some fun, including Indie before his first competition .

Two heels to poor Moyet after she washed and groomed him. He broke out and rolled and rolled in the mud. Henry watched on smugly as it was his week off, but Indie still strutted his stuff on the Sunday with a good dressage score of 66%.

 

The children are the heart of the riding school and saturday was the first of our Spring two phase competitions. Our new jumps made by Colm Cunningham stood proudly in its new home, our arena.

 

Lots of praise to Thomas finishing 1st in the 30cms with Charlotte on Hymesh 2nd.

The 60-70cms was won by Holly and her beautiful pony Willow. 2nd was Moya on the elegant Beauty and 3rd was Creta on the adorable Annie.

 

Martin was beaten in the 90cms by Kayleigh Brady. Next time Princess ' don't eat all our Easter Eggs!' and you be able to jump the fences!!

 

This week is the dressage. Into A and Prelim 13. Tests can be called out if required. We also welcome our new judge Christina Keane. I hope the sun shines across the Mournes and Lough to give us a beautiful day.

 

Thank you to our benevolent sponsors Boyd's stores and Carlingford Lough Craft and tack shop.

 

This week the team feel a special recognition must be given to Holly Mcguire. Her work on Willow paid off and thank you to every.body at Carlingford Lough Equestrian Centre for making it our little horsey home.