Dublin Horse show 2013, RDS,
Blossom Hill Ladies' Day, Accommodation near RDS
The Horse Show is a Dublin
institution and runs this year from the 7th to the 11th
of August. A celebration of Ireland's affinity with the horse, the Dublin Horse
Show has the best show horses and the best international show jumpers compete
for honours. It is one of Ireland's largest events, a highlight of the summer,
each year welcoming tens of thousands of people from Ireland and all over the
world.
Since it was first held in
1864 the Horse Show has become a Dublin institution. A celebration of Ireland's
affinity with the horse, from the best show horses to the best international
show jumpers. It is one of Ireland's largest events, a highlight of the summer,
each year welcoming tens of thousands of people from Ireland and all over the
world.
Blossom Hill Ladies' Day
Blossom Hill Ladies’ Day at
the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show will takes place on Thursday of Show
week. There are prizes for best dressed lady, most creative hat, most colourful
outfit and best dressed man.
THE DUBLIN HORSE SHOW
HISTORY
The first show was held in
1864 under the auspices of the Society, but organised by the Royal Agricultural
Society of Ireland.
There were 366 entries in
the first Show with a total prize fund of £520.
On the 28, 29 and 30 July
1868 the first show was held and organised by the Royal Dublin Society on the
lawns of Leinster House. The Council granted £100 out of the Society's funds to
be awarded in prizes. It started as a show of led-horses and featured ‘leaping'
demonstrations.
The first prize for the
Stone Wall competition (6ft) in 1868 was won by Richard Flynn on hunter, Shane
Rhue (who sold for £1,000 later that day).
Ass and mule classes were
listed at the first show!
In 1869 the first Challenge
Cup was presented for the best exhibit in the classes for hunters and young
horses likely to make hunters.
In 1870 the Show was named
‘The National Horse Show', taking place on the 16-19 August. It was combined
with the Annual Sheep Show organised by the Society.
1869 was the year ‘horse
leaping' came to prominence. There was the high leap over hurdles trimmed with
gorse; the wall jump over a loose stone wall of progressive height not
exceeding 6 feet; and the wide leap over 2 ½ ft gorse-filled hurdle with 12 ft of
water on the far side.
The original rules for the
leaping competitions were simply ‘the obstacles had to be cleared to the
satisfaction of the judges'.
The prizes for the high and
wide leaps were £5 for first and £2 for second with £10 and a cup to the winner
of the championship and a riding crop and a fiver to the runner up.
In 1881 the Show moved to
‘Ball's Bridge', a green-field site. The first continuous ‘leaping' course was
introduced at the Show.
In 1881 the first viewing
stand was erected on the site of the present Grand Stand. It held 800 people.
With over 800 entries in the
Show in 1895, it was necessary to run the jumping competitors off in pairs -
causing difficulties for the judges at the time!
A novelty class for women
was introduced in 1919. In 1920 women were able to compete freely.
Women were permitted to
compete in the international competitions from 1954 (an international rule).
In times past the Ladies
Hunter Classes for ladies riding side-saddle in traditional costume (veil and
habit) were judged on the Thursday of the Show. As a result Thursday became
Ladies' Day.
In 1925 Colonel Zeigler of
the Swiss Army first suggested holding an international jumping event. The Aga
Khan of the time heard of this proposal and offered a challenge trophy to the
winner of the competition.
In 1926 International
Competitions were introduced to the show and was the first time the Nations'
Cup for the Aga Khan Challenge trophy was held.
Up until 1949 the Nations'
Cup teams had to consist of military officers.
Six countries competed in
the first international teams competition for the Aga Khan Challenge trophy -
Great Britain, Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Ireland. The Swiss
team won the title on Irish bred horses.
The Swiss team won out the
original trophy in 1930. Ireland won the first replacement in 1937 and another
in 1979, Britain in 1953 and 1975. The present trophy is the sixth in the
series and was presented by His Highness the Aga Khan in 1980.
There was no Nations' Cup
held in 1952 due to the Olympic Games.
The first Grand Prix (Irish
Trophy) held in 1934 was won by Comdt.J.D. (Jed) O'Dwyer, of the Army
Equitation school. The Irish Trophy becomes the possession of the rider if it
is won three times in succession or four times in all.
The first civilian rider to
take part in the Nations' Cup was Peter Robeson on Craven A. He was also a
member of the winning British team that year.
The first timed jumping
competition was held in 1938. In 1951 an electric clock was installed and the
time factor entered most competitions.
In 1976, after 50 years of
international competition, the two grass banks in the Arena were removed so the
Arena could be used for other events. The continental band at the western end
of the Main Arena was added later.
Shows have been held
annually except from 1914-1919 due to WW1 and from 1940 - 1946 due to WW2.
In 2003 the Nations Cup
Competition for the Aga Khan Trophy has become part of the new Samsung Super
League under the auspices of the Federation Equestre Internationale.
The Fáilte Ireland Dublin
Horse Show is Ireland's largest equestrian event, and one of the largest events
held on the island.
The show has the third
largest annual prize pool for International Show Jumping in the world.