On A Mission

Event Horse Owners and Supporters Group

Hall Of Fame

Previous Winners of the On A Mission Young Rider Bursaries In Action!!

Camilla Spears - 2009 winner with the very promising BT Crewmaster

Captain Geoff Curran at the 2008 Olympic Games

Elizabeth Power on board Kilpatrick River finishing 11th at Badminton Horse Trials CCI**** 2009

Sam Watson riding Horseware Bushman at Badminton 2009

On A Mission Newsletter Spring 2011

Hello everyone!
Just a few words to welcome the new season.

We have negotiated to have all Irish international results in Show Jumping and Eventing free for all members of On A Mission this year.
They will be automatically texted to you on your mobile so you can keep up with events abroad.
If you do not require the service, please get in touch with our secretary, Wendy Carl, 087 9381918 asap, to remove your name from the list.
There is usually quite a hefty fee for this service so we are a privileged group!

We had a very successful Cross/country clinic with Geoff Curran in March as a fundraiser. We are now organising 2 more in Wicklow, possibly Ballinacoola, Co. Wicklow and maybe in Co. Tipperary. Any one interested please contact me. More details later.

Tattersalls 3 day event May 26th-29th. Sadly we do not have enough funds to sponsor a fence this year. However, please let me know if you could help in any way during the event. We might take a fence to steward for the c/c day and would make a rota for helpers. NB Don’t forget our annual Pimms party in our gazebo beside the show jumping arena after the c/c on Saturday.

I will try to organise a course walk for members (free) and friends (€5) on Friday aft/eve.

The Owners League is hotting up after a few events Gerda Marwood’s daughter Caroline on Jazzin Along, has been most consistant in Jun B’s with 19 points so far
Closely followed by Anna Lavery on Krafty Harry.  Fergal Nesbitt is leading the Owner/Rider League with 13 points with Gilly Crawford on his heals!

Congrats are in order for member Carol Gee who’s horse Fernhill Encore  ridden by Fraser Duffy won at Ballindenisk CIC2* . Also to Katie Moffatt who won the CIC1* on her mother’s Pick and Mix 11. and Jean Pim with Mr Otto who won the Pony 2* ridden by her grandson Josh Pim A great result for On A Mission members!
 
I hope you have put in for your Olympic tickets as it is closed now. However there will be another chance in July I think . Go to www.London2012.com for all info.
Due to the restricted area in Greenwich where all the equestrian events are being held
I have read that the C/C is already fully subscribed , Such a shame they did not use a nice country estate such as Blenheim or Burghley for the occasion . Now only the “lucky” ones will see be there to see the c/c. live.

We won’t be having any European trips this year but if you want info for any Internationals abroad, I will help if I can. We hope to hold a Quiz night as a fundraiser in the Autumn, so get your thinking caps on!

In the meantime enjoy your Eventing  and see you at Tattersalls!
Best wishes   Jinnie Webb chairperson.      0872356905

On A Mission 2010 Chairman’s AGM Report

Membership was up slightly this year.
It is so important to the running of our Group –
€35 is still the membership fee, which is the same as 10 years ago! So no-one can say we are over priced!
You can now enjoy various outings and the camaraderie of On A Mission supporting all things Eventing , and our young people who wish to make Eventing their career.

Training is so important, and with the Horse Sport Ireland  initiative of setting up the graded Coaches Programmes, now coming to fruition, we have no excuse not to use these top trainers in our country.

In Feb. the winners of our 2009 International Young Riders Bursaries , Camilla Speirs, Cairan Glynn, and Sam Watson very kindly came together to hold a most entertaining demonstration evening at Killossery Stud. Our thanks to Laura and Frank Glynn for the use of their indoor school.
The evening was well attended despite the bitter chill outside, and hot soup and snacks helped to keep us all alert and warm.
The riders were put through their paces by Michael Quirke the Eventing Ireland Team show Jumping Coach, who kindly gave up his time for us.

In early March a large group of members visited McKee  Barracks, the Army training quarters, where Lt Col Gerry O’Gorman made us very welcome . He gave us an interesting talk, first on the history of the Barracks and then those riders and horses who had made their names in the Equestrian Role of Honour. Aga Khan Trophy winners and Hickstead Derby winners tripped off his tongue and a visit to his office to view the huge silver trophy presented by Hitler, for a showjumping class in Germany, in the 1930’s, really amazed us. We were priviledged to be see it in it’s own special glass showcase.
We then watched Geoff Curran (a previous winner of our major Bursary in 2008) and Brian Curran-Curnane, work their horses in the indoor and outdoor schools.
The visit ended with a tour of the stables.

Early May was Badminton, and there was a good group of supporters there to cheer our Young International riders Sam Watson, Camilla Speirs and Elizabeth Power. They did us proud Sam finishing 13th and Camilla 14th in their 1st 4* event. We congratulate them.

In mid May, Marcus and I opened our cottage garden and arboretum in Co.Kilkenny for the 1st time, (very frightening!) for members and friends of On A Mission. We had a buffet lunch and were thrilled to find over 40 people interested enough to come to the Fund Raiser in The Rower.
The weather held up except for one shower and parking was no problem in the front paddock despite our worries!
We have a pretty Spring stream garden and Marcus had a great following for his chat and walk around his trees in the arboretum.
The photos are up so you can view them afterwards.
Our cottage has been a great “bolt hole” to all our family over the 37yrs we have had it, and we were delighted to share it’s delights with you all.

Tattersalls International 3 day Event was the highlight of the Eventing Ireland Spring calender. They were blessed with the weather.
 On a Mission held our 2nd annual Pimms Party in and around our green gazebo, beside the arena, after the cross-country.  It was good to see the many members and friends who had travelled from all over the country and abroad.
Our Gazebo has been a good investment and with its banners and flags, everyone knows when On A Mission is on site!
I also brought it down to Ballindenisk at the end of the season.

We also supported Tattersalls by sponsoring  fence 4 on the Cross Country 3* course and we had a large banner erected beside the fence.
We were lucky to have William Fox-Pitt to give our members a course walk on the Friday evening. This was very well attended and we all learnt the intricacies of riding the 3* course.
Our thanks go to Harriet Jellett and Louise Bloomer who persuaded William to give up his time for us.

As we did not have an official trip to WEG I took a small group of 12 over to Burghley 4* at the beginning of Sept. to cheer on the Irish.  Geoff Curran finished 17th having been held on the cross country course and also losing a shoe just before his show jumping round. However he was picked as a late entry for our team in WEG a month later and did well to finish.
The trip to Burghley was slow to fill and this is another reason why we have decided not to continue with Group trips for the moment. What with the monetary situation in the country, and the hassle of hotels ringing for confirmations and the travel agent trying to do their best for us too.

WEG took place at the end of Sept /October.
Last year I had looked into taking a group there, and costed it all for us. However the prices were so exorbitant, even for a group, that I could not face it and got cold feet.
I was particularly aggravated by WEG making us Eventing supporters pay twice for both dressage days. This was a first and very unpopular.
I was so incensed I actually wrote to the powers that be in Kentucky and said they would lose our group because of that and the huge hike in hotel room prices. At least I got it off my chest!
However those who did organise their own trips privately, seemed to have a good time and enjoy the American hospitality with thankfully no dramas as in Aachen 4 yrs previously, with the prize giving.

Sam, Mark, and Geoff did us proud to finish whatever the result. I know it was gutting for all the Team not to have qualified for the London Olympics but we still have next year at Luhmuhlen.
The luck of the Irish definately didn’t follow us to the States. And for us at home watching live on TV, we had a nailbiting day as it all unfolded. Hopefully there is some good to come out of the experience in WEG and we look forward to another season in 2011.
I felt particularly sad for members of On A Mission, Carol and Tom Henry, of Baltimore, Co. Cork and USA. They are so generous with their time and horses for our Team and to have both Michael whose horse was withdrawn and Trish not to finish, was a tragedy for all concerned.
I hope next year will bring better luck for them.

Our Website is up and running thanks to Sam Watson. www.oamireland.ie
There were a few glitches in the summer which were ironed out and occasionally I didn’t feed enough info to “our Man.” Then obviously riding at WEG took priority for some weeks but all is up to date now and pictures of the year’s activities and photos, League Tables and Results are up too. So have a look to see how you and your horse got on.

Fundraising

It was decided by the Committee to drop the Race Nite at Tattersalls this year after 3 yrs. All good things run their course and we felt it was time for a change.
If anyone has some good ideas for Fundraising next yr please get in touch with myself or Wendy.

I must thank my Committee for all their work and support this year. Michelle is so meticulous with our accounts and keeps us all in check. Wendy has been such a help doing all the secretarial jobs for me,  David for his sound advice in times of angst, and our new member Julia, who I hope is feeling better after a nasty accident at home, during the week.
Thankyou all.      Jinnie

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I hope you realise that ON A Mission had a huge input into Eventing Team Ireland in 2010.
4 of the six team members Sam, Camilla, Geoff and Elizabeth  had won awards in our International