Millstreet back in the saddle for international horse trials
MILLSTREET welcomes its third CIC International Horse Trials Championships this weekend in a staging at the multi-purpose Green Glen Complex and adjoining Drishane Castle.
Members of the Irish team that competed in the European Championships in Poland last weekend seek out an attractive prize fund exceeding €35,000. The schedule consists of international and national classes together with CIC Young Horse classes for 6 and 7 year old horses.
Entries come from Ireland the UK, USA, Europe and Japan across three disciplines of showjumping, dressage and eventing,
The eventing course centres around the ancient Drishane Castle, a 72-foot high fortified stone tower house built in the 15th- Century by Dermot McCarthy, the Lord of Munster. Taken over in 1728 by the Wallis family, who built a large estate house in the shade of the Castle, the Drishane castle and house subsequently became a convent.
Historic features remain and include stone walls, a 19th-century mill wheel and lime kiln to rolling countryside against the backdrop of Clara Mountain. The potential for Ireland to host a four-star event is not out of bounds according to Thomas Duggan.
“The schedule includes CCI and CIC classes at one, two and three star level, together with a CIC Young Horse class for 6 year old horses”, he said.
Now in it’s third year, the 2017 event follows on from the recent successful hosting of the FEI European Eventing Championships for Young Riders and Juniors.
“Drishane Castle is a unique venue and we are merely polishing an old diamond by opening it up for such events. Our course designer Mike Etherington-Smith has done a wonderful job”, said Mr. Duggan.
Ireland has always been renowned for producing top-class event horses, and organisers believes that the addition of the eventing calendar is good for business in the area. And, with each passing year the programme of events continues to expand in Millstreet, with 2017 set to be the busiest yet.
The Irish Sport Horse Studbook are supporting this year’s ‘Coral Cove Six Year Old Championship. ’ Bred by Noel C. and Thomas Duggan, ‘Coral Cove’ became one of the best known event horses of his time; amassing 1,293 British Eventing points over a career which included completions at 12 long-format three and four-star three-day events.
Competitors and their connections can look forward to the world-class facilities in Millstreet this weekend. The dressage and showjumping phases will take place on an all-weather surface in the Green Glens Arena on Friday and Sunday.
On Saturday, the fare switches to the Drishane Castle estate that provides unrivalled panoramic views, allowing visitors and spectators to follow the action of the Cross Country phase against the backdrop of Clara Mountain.
Admission is events. free to all