I posted a few photos yesterday while sitting at the airport ( see those ), but here's the real report. The Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show has been going on for 106 years. Show director Peter Hanly told us the show began as a way to support country's horse breeders and producers. The competitions, from working hunters to Connemaras and colo(u)red cobs, to mares and foals, highlight the quality...
I often describe horse shows as my "natural habitat." But while I've had the pleasure of attending a diverse array of equine events, including the Kentucky Derby, Breeders' Cup, Rolex, and the Olympics, nothing compares with the beauty of the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show . It's the most photogenic horse event I've seen, and I hope you'll agree. As I'm posting this...
After bidding a fond farewell to Mount Juliet--I'm coming back--we headed to Co Wicklow for a second trekking adventure with Glendalough Equestrian Center . The route took us to the Wicklow Mountains , a breathtaking rugged landscape of exposed stone, rivers, and the odd sheep wandering about. We also saw the area where the Christian Bale/Matthew McConaughey movie " Reign of Fire " was...
While the sightseeing has been grand, I was really looking forward to the trekking--there's something uniquely thrilling about seeing fresh scenery between the ears of an unfamiliar horse. For our first equestrian outing, Mount Juliet's Equestrian Center split us into two mixed-experience groups of six. As it turns out I didn't need the half-chaps I brought, as tall boots and helmets were...
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." So starts Daphne DuMaurier's novel, Rebecca , a tale in which the setting, a fictional estate called Manderley , plays as large a role as the characters themselves. After staying at Mount Juliet, I believe I may have found Manderley--or at very least, I'll now recognize it next time I pick up my own well-worn copy. Mount Juliet is a...
