Ireland have been running two Grand Prix leagues for some time but this year the bar has been raised! In the past many riders have felt that they cannot get the experience for themselves or their horses at the higher level of the sport, at home in Ireland and for many this means they never get to test themselves or their horses as the expense of traveling abroad is prohibitive.

With this in mind the 2007 season introduces the Premier Grand Prix Grand Prix League series sponsored by Atec, makers of Horse Trailers. This series is a 1.50m series with the Course Designers brief being to build technical, continental type tracks. Only 30 competitors will make it through to this class at the nine shows hosting the Premier League as the starters list comes from the top 30 from the previous days 1.40m Boswell Equestrian sponsored National Grand Prix League.

The season opened with a strong show - the Louth County Show hosted the first of the 32 National Grand Prix shows with the Boswell 1.40m Grand Prix being won on Saturday by Irish Team Manager, Robert Splaine and the very handsome and talented stallion Coolcorron Cool Diamond and this combination was equal favourite (with Francis Connors, Merlins Magic) to win the Premier class on Sunday.

The show was held on the property of the McGuiness family and as always the paced was packed to the rafters - late comers found themselves parked in the very back fields and left the property fitter than they arrived from the walking backwards and forwards to the seven rings running all weekend.

It was great to see Tom McGuiness of Horseware Rugs fame, competing at his own show and his brothers as always on hand helping him keep things running smoothly.

The promise of an on course bookmaker saw a slight glitch when he was not on course for the opening class but according to Patricia Furlong he was setting the odds after the first class was run and will be on course for those wanting to lay a bet at the following 8 Premier League classes.

The Irish Horse Board are again committed to promoting the Irish bred horses and this weekend sponsored the 5 year old class putting up €500 for the qualifying class on the Saturday and €4,500 for the Final which was held prior to the Grand Prix on Sunday.

The class was won by one of the busiest young men on the showjumping circuit - Engineer by trade, Showjumper by passion, Andrew Bourns and his Cruising youngster. Mervyn Clarke and another Cruising 5 year old took out second place with third place going to Ronan McLaughlin and his 5 year old Quickstar horse. Olive Clarke and her 5 year old Cavalier Royale/King of Diamonds took 4th place and young rider Fiona Campbell took 5th with her Touchdown/Clover Hill baby. The final placing of 6th went to Joan Greene and her Water Valley Cool Diamond by Coolcorron Cool Diamond.

Fiona Campbell's stallion son of Touchdown shows that the great Olympic partner of James Kernan has left a wonderful legacy after he quietly went to sleep on 23rd April, 2007 - for this story click here.

Prior to the Grand Prix the main arena was packed to watch a wonderful display by Irish Para Equestrian rider, Eilish Byrne who certainly got everyones attention when she drove into the arena on her electric buggy leading her 10 year old Dutch dressage gelding, Youri behind her. Eilish has a long association with the McGuiness family having ridden at their riding school as a 12 year old girl who so longed to roam on a pony with her two able bodied sisters. The McGuiness brothers, after getting permission and approval from her parents let her ride a pony who amazed everyone by behaving so well for her, when this wasn't always his way! And this was the beginning of a lifetime desire to ride at a high level for Eilish who was born with Spina Bifida.

Brendan McArdle was the on course commentator and as always entertained the large crowd with his on the spot mini interviews. When he spoke to Course Designer Tom Holden he asked how many clears he thought he would get from the 30 starters and Tom said he would like to see 7 or 8 in a jump off.

When Brendan interviewed Robert Splaine about the course he commented that it was a great deal more technical than the previous day, even though it was not that much higher and it was the technicality he felt would possibly cause some problems along the way.

The wind was high on both days at Dundalk and some last minute changes were made to the fill in a couple of fences which seemed to be catching the wind during the course walk - and rather than have fences blown down while a horse was on course, the decision was made to alter the fill.

Big Jack (Doyle) - pictured left - chats on course with International Course Designer Tom Holden.

The cross country log - pictured below - beside the 1.20m/1.30m ring always provides a great viewing spot as well as a good resting spot for those tired from the walking required to see all seven rings at Louth County Show.

With Australiain the grip of one of the worst recorded droughts, Ireland is beginning to wonder what is happening to their weather - with no rain for a few weeks now many of the jumping grounds are beginning to resemble Australia, with very little grass covering and plenty of dust as the wind whips it around the place.

Pictured left - the practice arena with the main arena in the background.