‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...’, the nights get longer, the temperatures drop and everyone becomes more nostalgic and it has been quite a year for the Paras.

2018 saw Dublin-based Emma Golding going hell-for-leather in the World Para Driving Championships, at Kronenberg, The Netherlands. Together with her groom Jasmind Doyle and her pony, Barnlough Lilly, Golding sported the triocolour proudly at the Dutch event. The team were accompanied by a whole host of international supports including ground groom: Gerard de Lange (NL); logistics manager Alfie Budd (GBR); chef d’equipe Sara Mullins (IRE) and team trainer Wilf Bowman-Ripley (GBR).

That was not the end of Emma’s success this year though. Golding attended the first outdoor event of the Horse Sport Ireland Carriage Driving year. The event took place in early June, at Cuffesgrange just outside Kilkenny by permission of Liam and Breda Dunne. Emma Golding was one of 24 drivers to attend the event which was a very impressive turnout. Emma took part in the cross-country marathon phase of the competition and was only one of six drivers to receive a time penalty on section B. Golding drove Brian O’Slatarra’s pony, Lilly, and completed with only five time penalties despite having to stop at obstacle one to adjust her bit.

SUCCESSFUL

On the other end of the equestrian disciplines, Rosemary Gaffney has had a very successful year in dressage. The Tipperary woman, originally interested in hunting and pony club was left with a disability after a series of unfortunate accidents with horses. Since then, Gaffney has spent her time exploring new areas of training with some new horses; Binc and Werona. Her efforts were recognised this autumn in the Irish National Dressage Championships at Cavan Equestrian Centre when she came out on top in the Para class and was crowned Irish National Para champion.

Despite owning Binc for longer, it was actually Werona who won the championships with Rosemary scoring an astounding 71.75%! Gaffney is now back in full swing, aiming for the Europeans next year and her heart set on Tokyo 2020.

It is not just these two ladies who have had an eventful year with their horses though. Within Para Equestrian Ireland, many riders have taken on new horses with buckets of ambition and large goals on the horizons.

Watch this space for 2019!