White jodhpurs tucked into black knee-high socks: now there's a style statement that could mean only one thing - it must be Dublin Horse Show time at the RDS again.
The 128th annual show kicked off in style with a welcome reception at the Triple Bar in the RDS, where the international horsey crowd gathered in high spirits. The highlight of the international show jumping calendar, the Ballsbridge event attracts teams from Britain, the US, Germany, Switzerland, France and Belgium, as well as Ireland. This year, 1,660 horses and ponies passed through the gates of the Kerrygold-sponsored show (and that's a lot of animals!)
The Irish squad were out in force in the Triple Bar. Twenty-one-year-old Cian O'Connor is the youngest member of the team. O'Connor and his horse, Waterford Crystal, have had a hectic six months and he's just back from competing in events in Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Britain. He was so happy to be home that he didn't seem to mind that the heavens poured down on him while he competed in the main arena.
Kevin Babington arrived with his wife to join team-mates Peter Charles and O'Connor. Former Irish Olympic show jumper, Tommy Brennan, was holding court in the corner, entertaining the Italian team's young star, Roberto Cristofoletti, and his father Angelo, the Italian team trainer. There was a strong international presence with Robert Smith, Michael Whittaker and William Funnell from the British team and Beezie Madden from the US team.
Sadly, Princess Haya of Jordan, an international show jumper and member of the Jordanian team, didn't make it to the Triple Bar celebrations.
Shane Cleary, the chief executive of the RDS, chatted to Anne Smurfit, one of the event's sponsors. Col Ned Campion, chief executive of the Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI), was there along with the association's president, Avril Doyle. RT╔'s Frances Shanahan delighted in telling us about the notorious Ladies' Day parties thrown in previous years by her friend, Derek Trenamam, who wisely kept his lips sealed on the wild antics of the horsey crowd.
"People will still be falling out of his Morehampton Road house at three or four in the morning," said Frances.
The show runs until Sunday, August 12th, with the main highlights being the Aga Khan Cup and Ladies' Day, as well as the competitive events.