Flowers, fillies and finery

THE 400 workers who ensure that the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show is a faultless five days created a buzz of their own at the RDS in Ballsbridge yesterday.

Ranging from stewards to judges to stable staff and arena workers, each is tasked with specific duties in the sprawling complex where 100,000 visitors are expected.

Some 40,000 flowers of 20 different varieties, as well as shrubs, baskets and boxes of spectacular colour and beauty, are used to decorate the grounds for what is one of the world’s oldest shows.

Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water from the RDS on-site well, which can deliver up to 15,000 litres an hour, are being used to irrigate the grounds for the horses and ponies.

Dublin Lord Mayor Catherine Byrne said her task of officially opening the 132nd show, which is costing €2.8 million to stage, was a personal triumph - she has feared horses since seeing one bolt as a child.

She overcame her fear to travel from the Mansion House to the RDS in the stately mayoral horse drawn coach yesterday, even giving a thank-you pat to one of the animals pulling the coach.

A gloriously sunlight occasion, not even the warm weather could tempt the judges in the various rings to abandon their traditional bowler hats as they cast their eyes over hunters, as fillies and finery created colour all around.

But yesterday other types of judges made their appearance at the RDS for the first time - and they didn’t opt for any of the traditional head garb.

The RDS decided to select three showing classes each day in which members of the public can speculate on the winner and be in with a chance to win a €1,000.

In order to enter, the spectator must decide what he or she thinks will be the winning line-up of horses; record their choices on the competition forms available ring-side and return them before the final judging of the class.

The entries with the correct line-up will be entered into a draw at the end of each day and a winner will be announced.

A commentary on the classes is being provided in an effort to educate spectators on what the judges are looking for.

In the main exhibition hall, there was a shock for visitors to animal welfare stands. Christmas cards and festive season wrapping paper were on sale, a sure sign that the big shopping spree is just around the corner.

“The Christmas cards are selling very well,” said Paddy Barrett, from the Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll, Co Cork. Paddy has a stand at the show for the tenth time.

Last year, it raised €11,000 at the event for its activities through the sale of merchandise associated with the sanctuary, which is currently caring for 400 donkeys on 100 acres and has 650 out in foster homes.

Fáilte Ireland, the title sponsors, hopes that its promotion of the show will reap benefits with increased numbers of people coming here for their equestrian holidays.

The sector attracts 30,000 visitors, who generate €30 million in revenue, each year.