SEVERAL interschools show jumping competitions, the forerunners to the present-day league, were held around Ireland from the 1980s onwards. One such event was held annually in Portlaoise Equestrian Centre and then, the Wexford-based competitions.

Both competitions attracted numerous competitors from all over the country.

“Technically, it all originally started at the show in Castlemartyr in Co Cork, run by the Carmelites on the site that is now the Castlemartyr resort. They had an interschools show jumping championship in the early 1980s,” said Jim Kavanagh, who teaches at the CBS secondary school in New Ross.

“The original All-Ireland interschools committee was set up by John Jude Doyle, Sheila Ryan, Laura Kelly’s grand-aunt and Mick Roche from Assagart,” he continued.

“Good Counsel College would have competed at Castlemartyr and possibly that’s where John Jude got the idea from for the next stage of a one-off championship day, whereas the current inter-schools competition has evolved into a league throughout the winter.

“The original championship moved to the RDS Spring Show before 25 years of competition at Enniscorthy Showgrounds.”

St. Flannans College, in Ennis Co. Clare, provided the first Spring Show winning team back in 1991.

“Kilkenny College would historically be very successful in these competitions, Good Counsel College in New Ross too with the likes of Aidan O’Brien competing!

“Then it moved on to the next generation with Aidan’s son Joseph O’Brien (Rockwell) competing. You had David Mullins, Barry Geraghty and Tom O’Brien…Trevor Breen was chef d’equipe of Rockwell when they won. Mary Rothwell too is very involved with Colaiste Bride in Carnew,” added Jim, whose nephew Mark is the young entrepreneur behind the Wexbury Spirits brand.

“The hunter trials equivalent, also Wexford-based under John Roberts and Pat Murphy’s guidance, had numerous famous names and winners like the Hyde sisters from Laurel Hill.”

Bertram Allen is another of those past Enniscorthy years alumni.

Jim and wife Mary, another secondary school teacher, have four children: Kate, Niamh and twin boys Edward and Éanna. “Kate is starting in St Mary’s secondary school in September so, hopefully the next generation competing in inter-schools show jumping!”

Current committee

Paul Cuddihy is another longstanding member of the current interschools committee. He also doubles as the chef d’equipe of the inter-schools teams representing Kilkenny College, a school that has surely produced its lions share of equestrian names down through the years.

He remembers how the idea for the current league format came about in 1997 as part of discussions held on the ferry coming back from those Hurstpierpoint College interschools championships, hosted at Hickstead.

“A group got together and decided it would be a good thing to regularise standards for interschools competitions being held around the country.”

Paul recalls that an inaugural meeting was held in Portlaoise where the interschools competition structure put in place.

He, together with Barbara Algar; Jim Donohue, representing Gorey; Linda Young, Carnew, Heather Camblin from Banbridge Academy and of course Helen O’Neill were there in the early years of Equestrian Interschools Ireland, as the organisation became known as.

Barbara, chef d’equipe of the very successful Loretto College team, remained on the committee up to 2007 and remembers when the league gained its first sponsor in Finches.

“The original sponsorship came courtesy of a parent who worked for Finches at the time.”

Sponsorship was then taken up by Irish Ferries, in the form of a highly-practical prize of subsidised travel to England to compete at Hickstead.

Irish Ferries were followed by more sponsors, including Hoofprints Photography and TRI Equestrian.

From 2014, EII received the support of Horse Sport Ireland as HSI offered to sponsor bursaries to the 1.10m final and league winners.

By 2016, EII became a member-based organisation. The committee collates all the league results and agrees on competition rules.

“The setting up of the committee helped raise standards of riding amongst a generation of students. Paul is involved as I am, for the past 30 years and many friends have been made in the inter-schools community, both among students and parents and teachers also,” Helen said.

“Clare Kinsella from Gorey Community School was a great supporter as were the Kavanaghs from Borris Vocational School and Robert Garland has been chef d’equipe for Wesley College for many years also.”

“I was encouraged onto my first interschools committee by Helen as my eldest child was a year below hers in Newbridge College.

“My eldest is now a qualified solicitor and pushing 30 and my youngest long gone from Newbridge! And somehow, here I still am, along with Helen, many miles and years later and loving it!” added Yvonne.

Like many events, it’s nigh-impossible to quantify the number of pupils, parents, horses and ponies that have turned up at inter-schools events each winter weekend for years. Or the unpaid hours - around the meeting table, at computer keyboards organising competitions and sending in results and at the ringside - that these committee members have spent.

“Sincere thanks to stalwarts, Helen O’Neill and Yvonne Byrne the backbone of interschools showjumping, who selflessly volunteer their time and expertise year on year,” said Mary Rothwell.

Amen.