As Ireland's weather continues to play havoc with the 2006 Outdoor Grand Prix League, the Irish Showjumpers Club again stepped in to save one of the legs from extinction - The Rolestown Show, run on grass, was once again canceled and so the 1.40m Grand Prix class was relocated to Kill International Equestrian Centre in Kill, County Kildare.

The Showjumpers Club put on a 1.20m class to start the day, followed by the Rolestown Grand Prix with the final class being the 1.30m - some would have been happier to have the 1.30m first as a warm up but it was a small grizzle considering the other option was to again lose a Grand Prix class.

The weather was overcast and cold but mercifully the rain held off until the Grand Prix finished - and some brave ones - pictured below - set up picnics for the day!
Tom Holden was the Course Designer for the day and always he built the "thinking man's" track - today's track used the time as the technical aspect of this well designed course which encouraged rhythm and accuracy with no margin for taking the long way around the course - time results would be the penalty
Tom Holden - pictured left in an "on course discussion" with Captain Shane Carey - is one of the favourite Course Designers as he is always happy to discuss his tracks with riders during course walk - he says "no harm in me telling the riders how I have built the track - they still have to be able to jump it!".

Pictured below - Edward Doyle walks the course with his son.

Pictured left - 3 generations of Doyles walk the course - Jack holds the hands of his two sons Owen and Cian and father and grandfather, Ned Doyle is a pace behind!

And more fathers and sons - pictured below - Richard Bourns walks the course with son Andrew.

Some of these oxers were very tall and very wide - pictured left
Conor Swail (on the bay horse) and Paul O'Shea (On the grey horse) - pictured left - took advantage of the front field at Kill International Equestrian Centre to warm up their horses in a relaxed atmosphere away from the crowds.
Page Two - Page Three

This is Page One

Back to News Index