This article is from page 36 of the 2008-08-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 36 JPG
A YOUNG ‘Tuamgraney show jumper, who is being hailed as an Irish hope for the next Olympics, is Supporting a new event at one of the county’s best-loved agricultural shows.
David Blake, and his _ parents, Michael and Mary, who run the East Clare Equestrian Centre, are delight- ed to see that for the first time this year, sportsman classes will be part of the Scariff Show.
Until now, families who have sev- eral children owning one pony could only enter one child in the show jumping events.
The new class means that the pony can be entered several times with
different riders, giving all of the chil- dren a chance to experience jump- ing and opening the field for more youngsters to follow in talented Dav- id’s footsteps.
18-year-old David achieved a suc- cessful leaving cert last year but opt- ed to follow a showjumping career.
He will be competing at the Na- tional showjumping championships in Barnadown, County Wexford, oy WLeto) @
He is just back from Prague where he represented Ireland at the Euro- pean Championships. He won the opening class seeing off 105 com- petitors and produced the best Irish performance in the team event with just a single mistake in each round from his horse, Killard Horizon.
He was selected to compete at the Dublin Horse Show at Senior Inter- national level, the youngest to be se- lected since 1974.
David’s mother, Mary said that there is a keen interest in jumping among the students who come to the centre.
“The sportsman event gives more children and young people a chance to take part in the jumping. A lot of families would own just one pony but might have more than one child who wants to compete’, she said.
Joanne Allen, Show secretary, said that all sizes of pony, 60 cm, 70, cm and 80 cm will be allowed to take part, giving children as young as six years of age their first taste of com- petitive jumping.
“Not a lot of shows have this class and that is all the more reason we are pleased to have it this year,’ said Joanne.
The show, which takes place on September 6 this year will have all of the usual classes and a vintage display, which promises to be hugely popular.
The night would not be complete without the show dance, which is held in Craic n Back at Rodgers in Scaruf.
Any entrants should contact Joanne Allen, Scariff on 061 921687 or email your entry to entry@scariffshow. com. The entry deadline is August 28.
The website www.scariffshow.com has all the details.