Celebration of Liz Sanford
LIZ Sanford of Drumree, Meath and a founding member of Meath Riding Club, died last week. A Service of thanksgiving to celebrate Liz’s life was due to take place today, Saturday, February 7th, at 11am in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Loman Street, Trim. According to Meath Riding Club: “Liz was a very active and successful member of the club in her younger years, she was very accomplished both side saddle and astride and she was also very gifted at driving (she and her little black pony Christopher were a sight to see in harness). Liz kept a huge interest in the club throughout her life, including holding every job in the committee at some point and most recently serving as chairperson from 2009-2011. She helped enormously when we came to do a booklet to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the club in 2023. She recalled those days with genuine fondness and mirth and often said they were among the best days of her life. Our sincere condolences to her family and close friends.”
Liz Sanford was also an avid and excellent sailor and bred and showed ponies, many of whom were ridden by her relation Tania Guinness, in whose eventing career she was also involved. Liz evented herself and was very much involved with the side saddle association. She also gave a lot of her time to the Meath Branch of the Riding for the Disabled.
Para Equestrian Ireland extend bursary
SHORTLY after Dressage Ireland announced their new Grand Prix and travel bursaries for international riders, Para Equestrian Ireland have made a similar move in offering development bursaries, designed to improve accessibility and inclusion for riders taking the first step onto the international stage. This new bursary will cover the entry fee for riders competing at their first CDPED1* or CPEDI2* if they achieve a minimum score of 65%.
Para Equestrian Ireland will also continue to deliver their international entry fee bursary for riders competing at CPEDI3* level, whereby riders who achieve a minimum of 68% in either the Grand Prix A or B test may claim reimbursement of their entry fees up to twice a year. This scheme has been running successfully for a number of years and, over the last three seasons, has paid out in excess of €15,000.
On social media, Para Equestrian Ireland said: “Supporting riders as they progress along the international pathway is central to our mission. Gaining international experience is vital, and this bursary ensures that promising para riders are encouraged and supported as they represent Ireland on the world stage.”
Eventing Ireland launch 2026 season
EVENTING Ireland are set to launch their 2026 season with a bang, thanks to an evening event entitled ‘Behind the Medal: The Team, the Horses, the Journey’ at Barberstown Castle, Straffan, Co Kildare on Saturday, February 21st.
Billed as being about ‘mindset, horses and high-performance eventing’, the evening will feature last year’s silver medal-winning European Championship team riders Aoife Clark, Ian Cassells, Robbie Kearns and Padraig McCarthy, as well as Ireland’s newly-appointed High Performance Eventing Manager, Sam Griffiths.
Eventing Ireland chairman, Nikki Potterton said: “This inspiring night will bring the eventing community together at the very start of the year to celebrate achievement, share insight, and look forward with positivity and ambition. From elite riders and owners, to breeders, supporters and emerging talent, this is an opportunity to reconnect and set the tone for the season ahead.”
Tickets cost €75 per person, or €600 for a table of eight, and can be bought online through the Eventing Ireland website. Places are limited, and included is a two-course meal and tea or coffee.
Aloga launches new trade website
ALOGA Equestrian, the rug brand owned by the Allen family, has launched its new trade website, tailored to professional yards including racing, breeding and sport horse operations.
It is designed to make managing blanket orders simpler, faster and more cost effective. The platform offers easy access to the full Aloga Equestrian blanket collection, alongside tools which streamline ordering, invoicing and account management.
The site will enable professional users to order quickly and efficiently from the complete Aloga blanket and accessories range; access exclusive volume discounts tailored to larger yards; view, download and manage invoices in one central location; customise branding; and save time, with a clean, intuitive interface built for repeat ordering.
The platform is designed to reduce administration time and improve efficiency, allowing yards to focus on what matters most: their horses.
Aloga is encouraging those interested to go online to register. Registration unlocks trade-only benefits, exclusive pricing, and early access to updates and product developments. More information can be found at trade.aloga-equestrian.com.