Rain puts no rein on sodden spectators

Visitors to the Dublin Horse Show seemed to worship all breeds of steeds and their abilities

THE IDOLATRY on display at the recent Bruce Springsteen concert in the RDS was impressive, but it wasn’t a patch on the reverence shown by spectators here yesterday, the first day of the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

The rain was of biblical proportions and still they stood around the rings scrutinising the showing classes with an intensity normally reserved for forensic scientists. The first class kicked off at 8am with the Performance Irish Draughts, and several hours later some spectators still hadn’t moved from their sodden perches.

“It’s the biggest show of the year,” explained Niamh Walsh from Ashford, Co Wicklow. “Everyone wants to come to the RDS.”

Micheál Higgins from Athenry was casting a keen eye on the Connemara stallions and recalling his days showing young horses at the RDS. “But the mileage built up on me,” he said ruefully. “I’m just kind of enjoying myself now. When you get to my age you have to make the most of it.”

His travelling companion was “on a mission to buy a sports coat” but he would have been casting it off in the afternoon when the clouds parted and the speakers belted out Here Comes the Sun.

Horse-lover Maeve O’Boyle (14) from Leixlip was in her element watching the showjumping. “Some people are much younger than me and jumping very high fences,” she said. “It’s really exciting being here.”

Over at the crafts hall, former RTÉ presenter Thelma Mansfield was enjoying her debut exhibiting her paintings at the show.

“The reaction to my work has been terrific, even though there are no equestrian paintings,” she said. She was still basking in the success of her meeting with Jerry Hall, who stopped to look at her paintings on St Stephen’s Green.

“She bought five pieces. She bought one for each of her children, one for Mick Jagger and one for herself, so I was very, very flattered.”

After a 35-year career in television, Mansfield accepts that this can often draw people to her work, but notes that Hall “didn’t know me from Adam – she wasn’t watching Live at 3”. Nor was Jagger, although he’s now of an age when that programme might appeal.

Across from Mansfield lies probably the most valuable item on display at the show: Sir John Lavery’s The Horse Show, Dublin 1928. It is at the Whyte’s auctioneers’ stand and is for sale, with the final price expected to be well into six figures.

Adelle Hughes of Whyte’s said there had been strong interest in the work, which will be on display until the show ends on Sunday. “We have had some people . . . looking for more information, which is encouraging.”

Back in the main arena, French stunt rider Jean-François Pignon was showing his skills with a team of Camargue ponies.

With what appeared to be a slight inclination of his eyebrow, they lined up, kneeled and trotted behind him.

He drew gasps as he stood astride two cantering ponies. Proof that you can, in fact, ride two horses at once.