The college has a very active equestrian club which participates at nearly all the Inter school equestrian activities – show jumping, hunter trials etc. We also run our own Inter school show jumping competition and have our very own Horse Show every May.

This is a short overview of the show jumping competitions. The team competition is jumped aga khan style, that is 4 riders per team with the best 3 scores to count. The height of the jumps varies from 85cm to maximum 95 to a metre in the jumpoff. There is usually an individual competition on the day too. At a lot of venues novice competitions are run also to encourage pupils to partivipate and gain experience.

In the school year 2006/2007 the college had at least 2 teams at every competition, which indicates the level of dedication of the club members- and their parents! This dedication paid off handsomely last year when the College ended up 3rd in the Hoofprints League (the team members were Alyssa O’Neill, Aisling Doyle, Bobbie McDonnell and Louise Morrison) and Alyssa, (a first year), also won the Individual Derby Competition at the league final. The league is run by the 2nd level Schools Show Jumping Committee and is sponsored by Hoofprints.ie the equestrian photography company. All league results and information appear on their website, as well as photos from the competitions. You can check out their website on www.hoofprints.ie.

Elizabeth Jones, James Maloney Quinn, Carroll Doyle, Bobby Mc Donnell,
Aishling Doyle, Emily McCann, Louise Morrison, Alyssa O'Neill.

The league is hotly contested with on average 30 or more teams from schools from all around the country at each competition. As well as ending up 3rd in the league the college team also came 4th in the All Ireland show jumping championship held every year in Enniscorthy. The winning school and best placed school teams at this event are encouraged to compete at the British National Show Jumping Championship, held every year in Hickstead. Last year for the 1st time Newbridge College had the opportunity to enter a team for Hickstead and the team put in weeks of practice for this. Unfortunately due to the foot and mouth outbreak, which occurred just 20 miles from Hickstead and the timing of the announcement of the outbreak on the eve of the day that all the Irish Teams were due to travel, the decision was taken that none of the 5 Irish schools entered should go due to the potential risks involved. This very responsible decision was needless to say very disappointing for all concerned, so to make up somewhat for the disappointment the College, together with the other 4schools involved, Kilkenny College, St Finians and Loreto Mullingar and Colaiste Bride Carnew and with the full support of Hickstead itself, ran our own Hickstead In Ireland Competition in Coilog Equestrian Centre. All 11 teams due to travel participated and competition was keen. Our team’s hard work and dedication paid off and we ended up 3rd in the team competition and with the best turned out prize. To cap it all 2 of our riders shared the prestigious Best Lady Rider award, judged on Equitation riding and one of these also won the Open individual Speed round.

However it is not all about competing. The college equestrian club members fall into a number of categories, those that wish to compete regularly for the college, those that would like to and are actively attending rallies so that they can and those that just wish to attend the rallies to improve their riding skills. We hold regular rallies in Coilog Equestrian Centre in Kilmeague. We also hold our own fun competition between Christmas and Easter, with competitions for all levels and the college hosts its own show in May. At this show there are 2 classes confined to college pupils. These mark the end of the equestrian club year and are hotly contested as they decide who will be the recipients of the college cup for more experienced riders and the Iris Kellett cup for novice riders at Prize Day. This year also for the 1st time in many years the college, in association with Coilog Equestrian Centre is hosting an Inter Schools Competition as part of the Hoofprints league. This will be held in November and it is hoped that there will be a large turnout from our equestrian club, either competing or helping on the day.

Our activities are not just confined to show jumping. We also participate in the Inter schools Hunter Trials competition; you need to attend hunter trials regularly or hunt regularly and to have a fit pony to compete at it. It is held around St Patrick’s Day so you will have plenty of time to get ready for it. Whilst the Inter schools one-day event is not being held this year, which is disappointing, there may be a dressage competition later in the year.

As you can see equestrian activities are many throughout the year. They demand commitment, not just from the members but from the members’ parents or guardians as these are the people who transport you and your pony to events, are unpaid grooms and cheerleaders and are there to be moaned at and given out to when everything goes pear shaped! And this being horse riding that is a lot of the time. But they are also on hand to praise and to join in the celebration of a round well done. They also get to keep in touch willingly or unwillingly with the people they meet at all the pony club and other events during the summer as it tends to be the same people that do both. And at the end of a long day they have the dubious pleasure of driving the sleeping rider and pony home in the dusk.

Well That is a short overview of the club’s activities. We will shortly be placing the application form to join the equestrian club on the website for anyone interested.

Louise Morrison, Aishling Doyle, James Maloney Quinn, Alyssa O'Neill.

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Newbridge College, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Republic of Ireland Tel: +353 45 487200 Fax: +353 45 487234 Email: info@newbridge-college.ie