Owners’ show set to hit target for charity
The venue has been home to the event for 14 of its 26 years and spokesman Keith Griffin said its popularity had not dimmed.
“Entries seem to be on target, and we are close to 3,000 again. The recession is hitting people now, but we are very happy with the response. Over the years, we have raised a total of €240,000 for charity. We made €10,000 last year and if we do the same this year, I will be very happy,” he said.
This year the show will again benefit the children’s hospitals in Crumlin and Temple St, along with the Riding for the Disabled and, for the first time, the St Vincent de Paul. Local charity Outreach Moldova, run by Maria Sweetnam is another beneficiary.
“One particular year, Marie told me the money we provided put shoes on 300 children, which puts things in perspective,” said Griffin, who also highlighted the generosity of the Duggan family for providing their facilities free of charge.
Griffin promised competition of the highest order.
“Last year, Darragh Ryan broke the Irish record in the puissance, jumping 1.85m, and he is returning and hoping to break it again. He is one of three members of the Irish pony team in this year’s European Championships that will be at the show.
Another is Tom Foley, an outstanding rider, who is finishing with ponies this year, as is Cork’s Molly O’Shea, who was also at the championships. As you can imagine, we are delighted to have three of the European team here. It demonstrates the stature of the show and it will make for exciting competition, as their rivals try to outdo them.”
The show begins today and concludes on Sunday.
* Around €600,000 is to be spent developing facilities for Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) and Pentathlon Ireland at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown, Dublin.
The centre will be used by high-performance athletes, but can also be used by HSI affiliates and rented by members of the public.
Details of the development — which was revealed in this column last week — were announced on Wednesday by Sports Minister Leo Varadkar. It is to be developed by the National Sports Campus Development Authority and, according to a statement by Mr Varadkar, a business plan is being put in place to recoup over 50% of the capital investment within 10 years. Procurement and installation works, which have begun, are expected to be complete by March 2013 and will ultimately see a high-performance training arena within the walled garden area of Abbotstown House, and the renovation of an adjacent farm outhouse to accommodate the pentathlon disciplines of fencing and pistol shooting.
There will also be “cross-country courses”.
* Shane Sweetnam is aiming to seal a place in the World Cup final when he lines out in tomorrow’s qualifier in Washington.
The Corkman lies fourth on the North American East Coast League, having placed third with Amaretto D’Arco in the qualifier in Pennsylvania last weekend.
Sweetnam was the leading rider at the show, notching up victories in an accumulator class on Cyklon and a speed contest with Solerina.
lBilly Twomey is to undergo surgery to deal with a prolapsed disc.
It was to take place in Germany in the past week, but has been rescheduled for Nov 5/6.
“It’s been a problem for about three years. In 2007/08 I had a prolapse in the disc, but with work and injections I managed. Now, when I get an injection, the most I have is a week and I’ve no option but to have surgery now,” said Twomey.
The surgery will be followed by a period of “intense physio”.
“The recovery should take four to six weeks and, while I hope to be back for Olympia, it is looking doubtful.”
* The board of Horse Sport Ireland are next Thursday expected to discuss a case involving a horse ridden by an Irish show jumper that is believed to have tested positive for a prohibited substance earlier this year.
According to well-placed sources, the horse was being competed in the North. The infringement is said to be at the lower end of the scale and an appeal by the rider was said to have been rejected.
* International dressage rider and trainer Anne Marie Dunphy will give a demonstration at the Paddock’s Arena, Midleton, Co Cork, on Saturday, November 3, from 7pm-9pm.
It is open to all and is priced at just €5.
Details: www.southmunsterdressage.ie
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