Horses For Courses At The Royal Dublin Society

Aisling Ryan Reports From The 133rd Dublin Horse Show

"Happiness is a horse and a rich husband," read the slogan on a t-shirt for sale at this year's Dublin Horse Show, which took place between 9th and 13th August, at the Royal Dublin Society. Now in its 133 year, the Dublin Horse Show has become an Irish institution. Every year tens of thousands of spectators come from all over the world to celebrate Ireland's strong equestrian tradition. This year, some new developments were introduced, to enhance the showing and breeding aspects of the event, including a significant increase in prize money and a number of classes restricted to Irish-bred horses. But the old nail-biters such as the Samsung Super League, where eight top show jumping teams battle it out for the Aga Khan Trophy, still carry the show to its climax and provide that sense of a great day out.

Within the halls of the RDS there is shopping aplenty, and the banter is second to none. For Jim Berney of Berney Brothers in Co. Kildare, suppliers of all things equestrian, it is his 43rd consecutive horse-show. "Spurs, now you're talking!" He says to a man and his young daughter, who examine three different pairs in earnest.

Berney Brothers was established in 1820, long before the Dublin Horse Show first took place on the lawns of Leinster House, in 1868. Passed down through generations of Berneys, there are still many family members involved in the business and at 73 years of age Mr Berney is considering retiring next year. In the meantime, he says that working the Horse Show is a "synch" because people know exactly what they want. "If they ask for a German hollow-mouth, that's what you give them", he laughs, as a couple approach the stall for a pair of gaiters. Cian, and his mother Kyra from Westport, Co. Mayo need a three ring snaffle for his sister's horse Copperflorin.

Cian explains that the snaffle is a type of bit to slow the horse down and his mother laughs "Now she might be able to stop him." For Jim Berney the best part of the show is "meeting the people". As punters come looking for brushes and girths, Mr. Berney shakes their hands in recognition and makes jokes through the string of bridles hanging off the stall.

Off the Main Hall other Horse Show staples, of a more artistic variety, are being viewed. These are the entries to the RDS National Crafts Competition which is in its 30th year. According to Clodagh Ryan, who has been a member of the RDS Crafts Sub-Committee for the past nine years, the competition attracts entries from top craft-workers in Ireland and overseas. With 20 categories - including ironwork, ceramics, patchwork and woodturning - participants have plenty of scope to stretch their artistic talents to the limit. "Every year standards go up", says Ms. Ryan. "We are constantly astonished at the inventiveness". Jerome McCann's stunning silver bracelet won the overall, Award of Excellence, this year. Winners from other categories were not quite so delicate. Dainius Varneliu's "Huggable" - a giant wrought iron sunflower standing well over six feet tall - is magnificent, even if the title is a little misleading.

And for fans of the artist, Christy Keeny, his piece entitled "Dancer", took first prize in ceramics.

Back in the world of the equine, Leslie Jones of the Irish Horse Welfare Trust asks visitors to spare a thought for forgotten and neglected horses in Ireland. She explains that even with the wealth in Ireland today, there are many neglected animals which her organization rescues and nurses back to health. The before-and-after photographs show the shocking reality of animal cruelty, but convictions against owners, she says, are "all too rare", because of the onerous proofs required by law.

Captain Shane Carey is the first to ride for the Irish team. But with only one fence to go on a clear round, he is prematurely cheered after the triple, and faults at the last fence. The rowdy crowd are reprimanded and settle down, as the rest of the teams take their turn. Switzerland's Markus Fuchs has a disastrous round with 20 faults on La Toya. But the Netherlands, Germany and France are all clear. By the time the second Irish rider, Shane Breen, begins to jump, there is not a peep from the crowd. That is, until he clears the last fence with no faults and an almighty roar erupts from the stands.

By the second round, with all four riders on each team having jumped, it is still all to play for and the ensuing second round spectacle of hooves in the water-jump, refusals at the double and an elimination for France, has the crowd gasping, albeit quietly.

At the end of the day, a delighted German team come out on top and Ireland must settle for third place behind the Netherlands.

By now expert on the nuances of show-jumping, the crowd file out to the local restaurants in Ballsbridge, to soak up the after-party atmosphere. They may not have a horse or a rich husband, but they are certainly happy punters.