Erin goes from mounted

games to racecourse

ERIN Dunseath, who won the Irish Pony Club RACE jockey skills exhibition race at Naas last Sunday, is a member of the Wexford Branch although she lives in Randalstown. She rides out at weekends and during her holidays with Cullybackey trainer Ian Ferguson.

Erin was a member of the Monaghan Branch and, while she enjoyed her time there, she wanted to play more games and so transferred to Wexford. She has twice represented the IPC at the Royal Bath and West Show (2015 and 2016) and has ridden three times at the Dublin Horse Show.

So keen is Erin on games that the 15-year-old is a member of the Mounted Games Association of Northern Ireland. She has represented at European and World championships. She also enjoys hunting and team chasing and partnered her hunting pony Flynn in Sunday’s race.

When Erin started going to the Ferguson yard, where her sister Megan works full-time, she began with mucking out and then started to ride the quieter horses. She is now keen on racing and really enjoyed the two-day jockey skills training course that she and nine other members of the IPC attended last month. They got a good insight into what it takes to be a jockey from the riding, fitness and nutritional perspectives.

Next weekend, Erin and her Wexford Branch teammates will compete in the IPC’s two-day international mounted games competition at Punchestown.