There was plenty for everyone to look at throughout the day, inspite of the weather and our thanks to photographer Paul Lennon for the following photos of the Crarriage Driving Display which was fabulous and showed the varying types of carriages from the very fancy to the very versatile.

Another of the treats for those there today was the Dressage display by Ireland's Olympic Dressage Rider and Athens competitor, Heike Holstein - and this display was commentated by her mother, Gisela Holstein, herself an Olympic level Judge. I have seen these two do displays before and they always entertain me and educate me at the same time. This is a mother-daughter team who obviously work very well together and bring humour and entertainment to Dressage which is so needed in a sport which is often seen to be very "precious" with the riders "seeming to lack in humour" about anything let alone their precious dressage movements - this so often alienates the non-dressage observer! This is however, never the case when Heike and Gisela Holstein demonstrate dressage - and nobody is ever bored and almost everyone goes home having learned something valuable.

Thanks to Heike and Gisela and Heike no doubt all of Ireland will be barracking for you in Athens in August this year - good luck from all at jumpingaround.com

Pictured above left and right we see Heike Holstein on board this gorgeous young black horse at the beginning of his career - and they even showed the showjumpers a thing or two when they used trot poles to show how they could control the canter altering the stride numbers on command from mother, Gisela (pictured right) who commentated on all they did in the arena.

There is nothing quite so elegant as the side saddle riders - and they make it look so easy - and this gorup even gave a jumping demonstration jumping side saddle which was sensational.
The showjumpers lined up in the arena for Presentation which was done after the completion of all competitions for the day and just before the Puissance Demonstration given by Dan Walsh, jumping his first ever Puissance and Lt Shane Carey.

Pictured left, Dan Walsh in his first Puissance and he cleared 1.60m which was a great effort aboard Cian O'onnor's chestnut gelding so imaginatively named An Capell (meaning A Horse)

Pictured below Lt Shane Carey aboard the Ministry of Defence's Cruise Hill who cleared a massive 1.86m to the roar of the crowd. Lt Carey commented afterwards that the horse felt like he had another 12 inches before he had to try!

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