The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Clare’s finest young jockeys will be hoping to gallop forward this week with the county well represented at the prestigious Dublin Horse Show.
The action starts this Wednesday as over 1600 horses and ponies from all corners of the country as well as some of the most expensive international showjumpers in the world will descend on D4 for this event for the first time since 2019, with the Dublin Horse Show cancelled for the past two years due to the pandemic.
The Dublin Horse Show takes place from 17th – 21st August in the iconic grounds of the RDS combining sport, style and socialising in the heart of Dublin.
There are high hopes for Clare’s talented young jockeys with the Williams brothers from Ennis set to take centre stage. Older brother Rhys, who has recently turned 18, will compete with the horse Conthanja PS in the 135-140cm Young Rider’s Class while he will also be aboard the horse Playboy in the International 7/8 year old category.
Last month, Rhys was part of the Irish U-18 team who claimed a bronze medal at the FEI European Championships in Spain.
Based out of PARC stables, Rhys helped Ireland secure a top three finish out of 18 nations. He also scooped a bronze medal as part of the Irish Junior team at the FEI Nations Cup in Belgium.
Meanwhile, his younger brother Coen, will be competing in three separate events up in Dublin. He will be riding eight year old Parc Cushy Number (ISH) in the International Class 7/8 year old horses section.
He will also be abord the Ken Bolton owned pony Saxton Freedam (ISH) in the 148cm National competition. This was the horse Coen rode when securing gold and bronze medals with Ireland at the FEI European Championships.
He was part of the Irish Show Jumping team that were crowned European champions in Poland while he also secured an individual bronze in the same competition. Earlier this year, Coen represented the Irish pony team that struck gold at the FEI Nations Cup in Belgium.
The talented rider will also compete onboard six year old pony Gilton Des Islot, which is owned by Olga Doyle and former Olympic showjumper Greg Broderick in the 148cm 6/7 year old event.
They are not the only siblings to compete in Dublin with the O’Dea sisters Lily and Daisy also qualifying to compete in Dublin. Lily will compete onboard CSF Alma in the Young Riders 110/115cm 5/7 year olds pony category while Daisy will jump with Shanvally Porter in the 128A Class.
Lily has put in some strong recent performances wearing the green jacket in Fontainebleau back in April and has made a great start on her young rider career, meanwhile Daisy was on the winning Munster HPI 128 team.
Meanwhile, in the 128cm 6/7 year old pony category Mollie Russell, who qualified for the Dublin Horse Show in Barnadown will compete onboard Sugar Dolly while Clare are also represented in this section with Kate Hurley and her pony Brookhall Elizabeth.
Anna Taaffe, daughter of former Clare hurler Éamonn Taaffe, is competing in the Junior Equitation Class with the Meabh Hennessy owned Creaghduff Curraun Cruise.
In the 138A category, Doora-Barefield’s Andrea Barry will ride onboard Arcade Eddie. The talented showjumper has shown no shortage of dedication to reach this stage as she missed her Confirmation party to compete in the qualifiers for the Dublin Horse Show.
Elsie Carey, who came through qualifiers in Cavan, will also compete in the same category with her pony Kiltormer Grey Alert.
Tiernan Cummins will compete in the 138cm 6/7 year old class on the pony Cill na Mona Babe. He won his qualifier in Cavan to qualify for this event.
In the 148A class, Lauren Quinn will ride on board Hunting Garrett while Meg Twomey will compete with the pony Cillian’s Canal. Tommy Moloney, who came through qualifying in Ard Chuain will ride in the 148cm 6&7 year old category on board Sheeaun Santa Blue while Jill Green and her seven year old pony Tinnecarrig Quick Step will also jump in the same event.
Meanwhile, Paul McDermott qualified in the five year old horse section aboard Rhondda, bred by Seamus Carew. McDermott finished 10th out of 110 competitors at the RDS qualifier in Mullingar in June with only the top 12 finishers qualifying for Dublin.
