A radiant infant was proudly presented above the pristine barrier of the third ring, sharing a snapshot moment with a speckled grey gelding during Wednesday morning’s commencement of the historic 149th Dublin Horse Show.
The five day equine event kicked off amidst a welcoming sun that bathed Dublin 4 in its warm and inviting glow, promising an array of horse related activities. The horse starred in the photography session, Newgrange Brady, was mounted by the baby’s mother, Ciara Evans. Having acted as his handler during the previous year’s event, while heavily in the throes of pregnancy, Evans had returned to compete in the Connemara Performance category within the grounds of the RDS.
Now a mother since the last eight months, Evans shared, from her position atop the seven-year-old horse, that Brady was eagerly prancing back and forth in anticipation. Discussing her preparations for the competition, she gestured towards her infant and spouse over the fence, revealing how she had to endure a waiting period of six weeks post her C-section before resuming riding.
“I forced myself to jump back on the horse immediately so as not to let apprehension set in,” she confessed. Evans regards the dressage and eleven-fence course at the Dublin show as the highlight of her calendar, the ultimate ambition for her and her horse.
“My husband, I believe, has grown tired of me constantly discussing the RDS because that is my sole preoccupation,” she admitted as she and Newgrange Brady were beckoned away for their participation in ring two.
As the first morning of the Speed Stakes international event was about to start, workers dressed in blazers were meticulously examining the grass and measuring fences for jumps in the main arena. The last touches were added to the quirky collection of jumps by a man, on a quad bike, dropping off a trailer filled with vibrant red blooms to embellish a jump fashioned after postage stamps.
Witnessing the event’s preparations was a regular visitor, Billy Healy from Kilkenny, in company with his long-time chum and first-time attendee, Michael, an aficionado of a renowned hunting family from Worcestershire, England.
“Horses comprise our existence,” declared Healy. Acknowledging the RDS as an essential annual gathering, Healy added: “One year simply rolls into anticipation for the next”.
Healy and Michael’s primary interest lay in observing the show’s hunters, eschewing purchases in favour of admiring the display and assessing the offerings.
Anna and Lucia Morrissey, eight-year-old twins from Galway, were eager to catch an elevated view of the showjumping event at ring two. Their mother, Trina Morrissey, remarked it had been nearly two decades since her last visit to the show. She decided to bring her girls this time to deepen their understanding of the horse world.
Trina fondly recalled her childhood fascination with the elegant animals. The twins, who have only engaged in horse riding for a short period, unmistakably displayed their affection for horses, as seen from the large pony imprints on their hoodies. Anna expressed her enthusiasm to see the horses in action and aspires to partake in the exciting jumping activity herself someday.
For now, Anna cherishes her bareback rides and helping out with her granddad’s elderly horse. Lifting her sleeve revealed home-made bracelets with the engraved names of her favourite horses, Tucker and Lilly.
The Dublin Horse Show is anticipated to draw in a crowd of more than 120,000 attendees and provide a stage for 1,600 horses and ponies over a span of five days this week. It will host approximately 165 categories of events and contests with total winnings exceeding €1.4 million.