Dream win for Alanna at horse show

A road accident a number of years ago may have left 17-year-old Alanna Morgan in a wheelchair but it didn’t take away her dreams.
At the weekend, Alanna, from Dysart, Corofin, was one of the winners at the Dublin Horse Show in the RDS with her horse Dysart Diamond Sky. The filly, trained by her dad, Alan, won the three-year-old Loose Performance Jumping competition and was judged to have scored the highest points in the filly section as well as the overall section.
“I am feeling great after it. This was my first time competing at the Dublin Horse Show and it was a fantastic experience. My whole family were up there to support me and it was very exciting. My uncle was there too with his filly,” she said.
Alanna has had Dysart Diamond Sky since it was bought as a foal and she has developed a bond with the animal. She explained that being in a wheelchair has not hindered her passion for working with horses. “The loose performance involves having the horse run around the circle and jump while I am in the ring, the horse has to be trained to run around and being in a wheelchair hasn’t made a difference. Horses are a big part of our family life and they will always be a part of my life. I won’t let the accident stop me,” she said. She hopes this will be the first of many times she will take part in the show.
Alanna qualified for the Dublin Horse Show at the Ennis Showgrounds when her then unnamed filly came first in its section for the qualifiers.
Her dad, Alan added, “We’re so proud of her, we were all there to support her and it was a great result. Everyone tries to win in Dublin; it’s the place to win. She’s been to the show a few times with us as a child, my brother’s horse was a winner in 2007 but this was her first time entering on her own and it was just fantastic. Any day there is a win in Dublin is good and we are delighted for her.”