FOR the second year running, the Irish Universities Riding Clubs Association played host to a charity fundraiser ball in aid of Pieta House. Taking place in the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan recently, it welcomed student riders not only from Ireland, but also from England, Scotland, and Sweden.

The evening began with a drinks reception, followed by dinner, and dancing to music performed by the band Quantum. A raffle held during the evening, had prizes kindly donated by Dubarry of Ireland, Horse Sport Ireland, Tattersalls, Orwell and Browne, and Peter Mark, to name but a few.

President of IURCA Shane Maher said: “The student riding community, and indeed the equestrian community as a whole in Ireland, has been deeply affected by suicide, particularly within the last number of years. I am glad that we as an organisation are able to help this wonderful charity in any way possible.”

IURCA is hosting the third leg of the 2019 Student Riders Nations Cup (SRNC) league at the beginning of October in Kilronan Equestrian Centre, Co Dublin. Owner Lydia Dawson, also chair of IURCA, is delighted to be providing the venue for this event, and said: “I am excited that my centre will be welcoming competitors from across Europe, north Africa, North America, and Canada. I hope they will be impressed by the quality of our Irish horses.”

Beatrice Gates-Hardiman, member of the organising committees for both the IURCA charity ball and SRNC Ireland, is also the current president of AIEC, the World University Equestrian Association. The SRNC league runs under the aegis of AIEC, which governs the worldwide association of student riding bodies.

“It has been three years since Ireland last hosted an SRNC, and while as AIEC President I don’t want to appear partisan, I do hope that the Irish team perform well on home soil,” Gates-Hardiman concluded.