THE IRISH team of Bambi Carroll (Marty Zee), Dede Clune (Ballymaclune Hairy Legs), Sheila Fuller (Zaristo), Sean Fitzgibbon (Just Curious), Celia Taylor (Regal Ivy) and Diana O'Huid (Coolroe Gold) along with Chef d'Equipe Gwen Bastian, recently travelled to Dartmoor National Park in the UK, to take part in the British TREC Championships, in Holwell Lawn, Widdecombe in the Moor. 

The event featured Levels 2 to 4, with riders having to qualify over the past year to take part. The orienteering was made exceedingly challenging as it took place across the open moor, which meant that even Level 2 riders had to rely heavily on their compass skills.

The routes were tough, with the speeds and going really taking the Irish horses to the limit, but as all riders had done a lot of preparation, all horses finished the course (22km Level 2 and 32km Level 3), passing the vetting en route.

A lot of technicality as well as very tricky grid references for the Level 3 riders, Ireland did well to have Dede Clune lying 5th overnight in the Level 3, with sister Bambi Carroll lying in 8th place.

Carroll climbed up to 7th after an excellent performance in the PTV section (101 points) - with one of only a handful of riders to get full points in the double wall 'Path Crossing'. Clune unfortunately slid down to 13th due to a technicality during Sunday's events.

O'Huid and Taylor acquitted themselves very well at their first event abroad, finishing 14th out of 30 pairs in the Level 2 class, with O'Huid scoring a fantastic 114 in the challenging PTV course. Fitzgibbon and Just Curious managed a full 30 points for the canter in the Control of Paces and a highly respectable 116 in the PTV.

Due to very difficult ground conditions, Fuller and Zaristo slipped and fell right at the beginning of the PTV, but under BHS rules were allowed to complete, for an overall zero, which placed them out of the rosettes. Due to the two zero scores, Ireland slipped into 4th position in the Nations’ Cup competition, by Chef d'Equipe Gwen Bastian was delighted with the teams' performance, especially that all horses and riders finished the entire weekend and passed all three vettings with flying colours.

The team wishes to thank Horseware Ireland for the Team Ireland gear, and also Botanica Ireland. 
 

(L to R): Celia Taylor, Diana O'Huid, Sheila Fuller, Bambi Carroll, Sean Fitzgibbon and Dede Clune