THE new Anglesea Stand at the RDS Laya Arena will be officially opened next Wednesday on the first day of the 151st Gallagher Dublin Horse Show where the going is said to be “perfect”.

Speaking to The Irish Field on Thursday, Horse Show director Fiona Sheridan said: “We are in the final stages of preparation. The main arena has never looked as good and the ground looks to be in perfect condition; [footing specialist] Richard Hayden is in on Friday to give us the final sign off and to do his necessary tests.”

With the prolonged spell of good weather in Dublin, Sheridan added that “the sand rings in particular have taken a lot of water and a lot of rolling. It’s been a particularly tough year with the construction of the Anglesea Stand, there’s a lot of work going on around the grounds so we’re down to the wire but things are looking good now and it’s been a huge team effort.”

Sheridan emphasised that competitors should be aware that the arrivals area is operating a drop and go system with half an hour slot. “When competitors come in, they’ll have to have a driver stay in the vehicle and move off within a half an hour time frame.

“Everyone will have to bring ample help with them to make sure that they can unload their horses, get them through the arrivals, and get all the tack in at that time. If not, we’ll be asking people to leave the site and maybe come back later if they need to drop tack or something else to the show. It’s just to keep things moving and keep the horses coming in in a in a constant flow.”

Coyle impressed

Show jumper Daniel Coyle was at the Laya Arena on Tuesday and speaking afterwards to The Irish Field, he said of the new stand: “I could tell you it’s amazing but until you actually see it, it doesn’t do it enough justice. It really changes the look of the thing and you didn’t think there was anything wrong before but it looks so much better. I sat high up in the stand and the view you get of the arena is just like nothing else.”

Coyle hopes to finally make his debut on the Aga Khan team with Farrell next Friday after being the reserve rider four times in the past.

“This was the main goal this year for me,” he said adding that his parents, Eleanor and Fergal, are probably “high as kites” at the fact that his brother Jordan is also on the squad. The other squad members are Cian O’Connor, Trevor Breen and Shane Sweetnam.

It will be Coyle’s first time riding under new team manager Jessica Kürten. “My first impression of Jessica is that she has a lot of experience of her own on the horse so that can be an advantage,” he said.

Aga Khan centenary

In a special celebration to mark 100 years of the Aga Khan trophy, all living Irish winners of the Aga Khan will be welcomed into the arena at 2.30pm on Friday before the start of the 2026 Elliott Group Aga Khan Nations Cup competition.

Among the famous names is Diana Connolly-Carew who won in 1963 on Barrymore and Lt Col. Ned Campion (1967, Liathdruim). Other former Army winners include Comdt. John Ledingham and Lt Col Gerry Mullins.

Irish show jumping fans will be delighted to see Eddie Macken back at the RDS for the special occasion. Macken has been on nine winning Aga Khan teams spanning 1977 to 1997. He will be joined by his teammate James Kernan from the famous three in-a-row team of 1977, 1978 and 1979.

Ireland’s current chef d’equipe Jessica Kürten, who will have her sights firmly set on the action of the day, was part of the winning teams in 2000 and 2004, while the other female in group is Marion Hughes (2004). Cian O’Connor is bidding for his 20th start on an Aga Khan team and his first win was also in 2004 with the most recent in 2022 and his teammates from that day include Shane Sweetnam, Max Wachman and Conor Swail.