Millstreet Horse Show

The mood around the Green Glens could only be described as a Festive Celebration in light of last week’s competition authority ruling, which declared the SJI Rule Article 229N, as anti competitive. Article 229N prohibited SJI members from competing in unaffiliated shows and at a meeting of the SJI Executive last Thursday was suspended. This year the ambience in the Green Glens is wholly different, and the atmosphere in the showgrounds is electric. The office phones are ringing four lines at a time, and the Millstreet Horse Show website www.millstreethorseshow.ie is inundated with last minute entries, as showjumpers free from the threat of fines and suspensions are now frantically trying to enter. Few people could miss the beaming smile from Noel C Duggan’s face as he undertakes the final preparations in the Green Glens, for the 2011 Millstreet Horse Show running the 10th – 14th of August.

‘The Duggan Family is thrilled to once again be welcoming people into the Green Glens and Millstreet’ said the vibrant entrepreneur Noel C Duggan. ‘We’ve been working extremely hard on continually improving our facilities and we have many new additions and surprises for spectators and competitors alike.’ This year the show is reigniting the National Eventing Discovery on the Wednesday afternoon, and a cross country course designed by local man Danny Delourey of Kilguilkey House holds pride and place across the 20 acres of sand arenas in the Green Glens. Entries have been flooding in for the National Eventing Discovery from both the eventing and showjumping sectors and with commentary from the renowned eventing commentator Chris Ryan, it will certainly be an exciting class for spectators to watch.

Lorries started arriving into the Green Glens early yesterday morning, as people from far and wide made their annual pilgrimage to the North Cork Town. Noel C Duggan is particularly elated to once again welcome people into his magnificent family owned premises who have been unable to attend for the last three years, whilst the dispute with the SJI was still ongoing. He stressed however, that the names of those who supported him last year and through recent difficult times will be forever engrained in his mind.

Jumping will continue in the Green Glens all week, with classes commencing at 9am each morning and the renowned Millstreet Young Horse Classes - the National Discovery and Millstreet Young Irelander will continue jumping indoors until late into the night. There are presently over 5,000 entries for the show and there are in excess of 800 stables booked. The show boasts one of the country’s largest prize funds of over €100,000 and the showcase will be the €25,000 Duggan Grand Prix on the Sunday where the country’s top riders will battle it out for the red rosette. Admission to the showgrounds all week will be entirely free of charge, which is something you rarely see in these recessionary times! 

For further details check out the Millstreet Horse Show websitewww.millstreethorseshow.ie or follow us on twitter MillstreetShow or on facebook; Millstreet Horse Show, all of which will be regularly updated all week.