TODAY (Wednesday) sees the start of the Dublin Horse Show with plenty of Clare interest in the four day event. With the show running from August 9 to 13, the premier show jumpers from Ireland and further afield have descended on Dublin, writes Ivan Smyth.
The Williams brothers – Rhys and Coen – will each compete in multiple events during the course of the week. Older brother Rhys will be onboard Playboy JT Z (Presley Boy x Plot Blue) in the seven and eight year old International Class. Rhys took victory in the same competition in last year’s event aboard Playboy JT Z. Rhys will be aiming to take home the Seamus Hughes Perpetual Challenge Trophy awarded for the Four Year Old ‘Mo Chroí’ National Show Jumping Championship. Rhys will compete in the Four Year Old Class aboard KPCM Hugo Boss (Plot Blue (KWPN) x Luidan (KWPN). Finally, the talented rider, out of PARC Stables, will also ride in the Young Riders class with Cowboy Balou. The 19-year-old was recently part of the Irish Young Riders team that secured gold at the FEI European Youth Show Jumping European Championships in Italy.
Meanwhile, Coen will ride in the Four Year Old Class event. He competes onboard Cutting Edge Too with the Williams brothers both participating in this event. Coen is also entered in the Young Riders Class onboard the nine year old stallion Elsandro Du Bois. He is also registered to compete with Conthanja PS in the same event. The talented showjumper was part of the Irish Junior team that secured a gold medal at the FEI European Youth Show Jumping European Championships recently.
This morning (Wednesday) Lauren Quinn will compete in the 148cm Pony class. She is onboard nine year old gelding Deluca Reape (Presley Boy x Prada JT Z). Meanwhile, Newmarket’s Meg Twomey is riding in the same category. She competes onboard Cillian’s Canal. The Newmarket show jumper secured a fourth placed finish in the 148A category aboard Cillian’s Canal in last year’s Dublin Horse Show. Andrea Barry competes today in the 138cm Ponies event. She will ride on board Arcade Eddie (Ardfry Cedar x Fields of Trees) in 10.55am. Andrea will line up alongside 27 other riders in what is a deep field. The Doora Barefield woman secured a second place finish in this event last year and will be hoping for another strong showing.
On Thursday, two Clare riders will compete in the 128cm 6 & 7 year old Ponies category. Isabelle Mangan will ride onboard six year old Killorglin Boy (Lhi). Tulla’s Kate Hurley competes in the same event as she competes with Brookhall Elizabeth (Hilin Solace x Barkway Ariste).