TREO Eile has announced an exciting new chapter for its signature winter celebration, moving its popular Christmas Show to the renowned Cavan Equestrian Centre and expanding into a full two-day Festival.

The Treo Eile Christmas Festival will take place on Thursday, December 10th, and Friday, December 11th, marking a major evolution from the traditional one-day Christmas Show.

To coincide with the new venue and format, Connolly’s Red Mills are sponsoring the gate to guarantee free admission for everyone, once patrons register in advance via www.redmillshorse.com/competition/treo-eile-christmas-festival-2026/.

After years of steady growth in celebrating the versatility of thoroughbreds in their second careers after the racetrack, the expansion of the event allows Treo Eile to offer an extended schedule of show jumping classes and festive entertainment across both days.

A highlight of the festival will take place on Thursday evening, December 10th, with the flagship Horse Racing Ireland Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic. This signature Nations Cup-style team competition will feature 10 competing teams of four people.

The competition has attracted some of the racing industry’s brightest stars including trainers Johnny Murtagh, Gordon Elliott, Willie Mullins, Henry de Bromhead and English-based trainer Charlie Appleby, who will act as team captains.

Current and former champion jockeys Paul Townend, Colin Keane, Rachael Blackmore, Ruby Walsh, Billy Loughnane and Jack Kenendy will also line-out for the big event. Professional riders including Irish eventing Olympian Joseph Murphy and Ger O’Neill are also showing their support.

The Thoroughbred Classic, which showcases retrained racehorses, will see the teams of four in a timed competition. The teams will include a jockey, a professional rider, a talented pony rider and a member of the Treo Eile community. Each rider will jump a track of fences followed by a jump-off to decide the winners of the coveted title.

“This year marks a massive milestone for Treo Eile, as we scale up our Christmas Festival to a two-day event at a world-class venue like Cavan Equestrian Centre,” said Andrea Ryan, CEO of Treo Eile.

“With the generous support of Connolly’s Red Mills and our many industry sponsors, we are thrilled to offer free admission so everyone can experience and celebrate the incredible journey of the thoroughbred post-racing. We look forward to announcing further details of the two-day programme in the coming weeks along with the glittering team sheet for the Horse Racing Ireland Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic “

Attendees can also look forward to on-site food and refreshments and shopping at the official Treo Eile merchandise stand.

For more information, email hello@treoeile.com.