Omagh riders excel at UK Championships

RIDERS from Omagh RDA took centre stage at the RDA UK National Championships in July, bringing home an array of rosettes.

Competing across four disciplines, nine riders stayed cool under pressure and extreme heat to represent Inspires Stables with pride.

Held in Hartpury International Equine College in Gloucester, England, the RDA UK National Championships is the largest event of its kind in the world and requires riders to achieve high qualification standards at regional competitions.

Leading the way in the Walk Trot Led Showing Class was Alesha McCrossan onboard Balloo, picking up a well earned second place rosette. Alesha also impressed judges in the Best Turned Out competition with Gwen Garrett’s Joyce Boy, and earned a Distinction in Horse Care and Knowledge.

Omagh RDA impressed in the Countryside Challenge arena, with several young riders making their debut at the Championships. Chantelle Fox and Balloo navigated the course with precision to place seventh, and Brooke McCrossan onboard Corbally Paris rode with skill to earn ninth in a very large class. Brooke added to her success with a sixth place in Best Turned Out and an Endeavour Award in the Horse Care and Knowledge.

Hailing from Armagh, Leah McBride rode a stunning round to place second in the Independent Countryside Challenge with Glenda McBride’s Corbally Paris. The pair also gained third place in the Walk Trot Led Showing and even won 2nd in the Junior Best Turned Out. Leah finished her first championships with a an exceptional display in the Walk Trot Led Dressage to place seventh.

Rosettes came in their reams from the dressage arenas, starting with Cian Arthur winning sixth place in the hotly contested Grade 6 Walk Trot Championship Dressage with Something Else Again. Ellie McCusker and Saxon impressed judges to win second in the same class, adding to her earlier fourth place rosette in the Walk Trot Showing class onboard Balloo.

Success also came from Molly McCabe and Something Else Again, who produced several impressive rounds to take second in the Grade 6 Canter Championship Dressage and 5th in the Walk Trot Showing class.

Naomi Elkin and Joyce Boy also shone in the Grade 4 Championship Dressage. The pair produced a stunning dressage test to earn second place in the highly competitive class, just 0.1% off the winner. Naomi continued her success in the Canter Showing class, picking up a well earned fourth place.

Also making her debut at the championships, Victoria Dolan partnered Yvonne Chisholm’s Something Else Again in the Senior Best Turned Out class. They achieved the high standards set by the judges and earned a fourth place rosette.

Victoria, Alesha and Austen Burns from Newtownards were disappointed to miss their specialist dressage classes on Sunday. All the Sunday Classes were cancelled due to the extreme heat. They will now take part in the online virtual competition which will take place in the Autumn.

Omagh RDA would like to thank the generous team of volunteers, supporters and sponsors, without whose support this event would not have been possible. This included Saxon RDA for the kind loan of their amazing horses Saxon and Balloo.

Special thanks goes Harry and Magella McEvoy for giving up their time and taking such good care of the horses during transport.

The charity are very grateful to MGM Logistics and MGM Custom Clearance for handling the logistics and organisation of the horse transport.

Thanks also goes to Omagh Wheelers for the kind loan of their Gazebo which kept the team cool under the sun. The generosity of Omagh RDA’s long-standing sponsors Boyd Bedding ensured the horses were comfortably stabled throughout the Championships.