Ireland to host European Mounted Games Championships

THIS year Ireland will be hosting the Eighth European Mounted Games Team Championships and the Fourth Mounted Games Individual Championships at Tattersalls Sales complex at Ratoath in Co. Meath from 10th to 14th of July.

It has been 15 years since Ireland , and the ast hosted a major mounted games championships  and the organisers are looking forward to welcoming the 14 European nations that will travel to Ireland to compete.

Mounted Games is a branch of equestrian sport in which very fast races, exciting for participants and spectators alike, are performed by excellent riders on well-trained ponies. They require a high degree of athletic ability, good riding skills, hand-to-eye coordination, general determination to see things through to the end no matter what, and a competitive spirit which nevertheless requires an ability to work together with other riders and a willingness to help one another.

The Team Competition: A team consists of five riders and ponies. Four of the five take part in each race giving the team trainer the flexibility to select the four best ponies for each race.
The team competition will be divided into four age groups – under 12, under 14, under 17, and Open, the latter being for the senior riders with no upper age limit.
The competition starts on Thursday July 12th, with each team taking part in three qualifying rounds within their age categories on Thursday and Friday  and then progressing to the finals on Saturday and Sunday, with the prize giving taking place on Sunday afternoon.

There are 48 riders entered in the individual competition, which begins with the qualifying rounds  taking place all day Wednesday and Thursday morning, from which the top 16 riders progress to the semi-finals on Friday evening with the top eight then going forward to the Grand final which will take place on Saturday night.

This promises to be a very exciting final with the top eight Mounted Games riders competing for a prize fund of 5000 euro.

The event is organised under the auspices of the Mounted Games Association of Ireland and this project has been co-financed by Meath Partnership through the Irish Department of Environment, Community and Local Government ‘Rural Development Programme Ireland 2007-2013’ and through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas.”

B’iad Comhpairtaíocht na Mí, an ‘Chlár Tuathforbairt na hÉireann, 2007-2013’, leis an Roinn Comhshaol, Pobal agus Rialtas Áitiúil, agus an Chiste Talmhaíochta na hEorpa le haghaidh an Thuathforbairt: Eorpach ag infheistiú sna cheantair tuaithe, a comh-mhaoiniú an tionscadal seo.