Flooding hits festive-themed show

AN Omagh riding school had to cancel their Christmas Jumper Dressage show after torrential rainfall brought by Storm Gerrit at the weekend.

The Omagh Riding for Disabled Assosiation (RDA) festive event coincided with a yellow weather warning issued by The Met Office for rain across the North.

“It was a shame because the show was designed to be a fun and lighthearted event,” said trustee and coach, Gwen Garrett.

The Christmas-themed show was designed in a bid to get people interested in dressage, gearing up toward a dressage league in February and March.”

Gwen said that the school’s facilities were prone to flooding from time-to-time. She explained, “The flooding happens periodically because we have a huge roof over our indoor arena and the run off overwhelms the drainage system, which leads to rapid flooding of the car park and indoor arena.

“It just wasn’t suitable conditions to proceed with the show and unfortunately these things happen – we really are at the mercy of the weather this time of year.”

Gwen said that the show will be rescheduled, possibly at the end of the month, and all entries from the cancelled show will be moved across to the rescheduled show.

She added, “The stables are all warm and dry and the horses will remain safely inside until the worst of the flooding has subsided.”