Horse Week: Storm Bert blows in to Connell Hill Equestrian

This weekend Rachelle Mark of Mid Antrim Branch of the Pony Club will host the next leg of the Barrier Health Spring Festival Qualifiers (11am start), scheduled to run alongside week five of Connell Hill’s Indoor Winter Showjumping League on Saturday, November 30 starting at 10am.

Following on from this will be week six of Connell Hill’s Indoor Winter League which will take place on December 7, with the grand final and Christmas Show set to sparkle on Saturday, December 14. Entries are £12 and taken on the day.

All riders who took part in weeks one to four of Connell Hill’s Indoor Winter Showjumping League will be accredited with these qualifying weeks towards their three qualifying shows required to receive winner’s sashes, trophies, prizes, vouchers and rosettes in the final on December 14. Non-league competitors are more than welcome to take part in the run up to Christmas, and prizes are also on the agenda for non-league competitors in all classes, from pony cross-poles (assisted/unassisted) up to 1.20m. A Christmas raffle will take place and one lucky winner will receive a luxury Christmas Hamper kindly sponsored by Parkgate Spar and Butchery.

The next date for the diary is Friday, December 27 when the Mid Antrim Branch of Pony Club will run arena eventing qualifiers alongside Connell Hill’s Derby Show.

Derby classes will range from 50cm up to 1.10m, with a good mix of jumps to navigate, incorporating working hunter, cross-country and show jumping fences. The first half of the course will consist of show jumps and the second part will be made up of working hunter and derby style fences. Entries are £20 and taken on the day.

Connell Hill will bring in the New Year in January 2025 with the popular unregistered training shows every Saturday morning, a range of working hunter/NIF qualifiers, and some real top class clinics to suit all levels of horse and rider.

Coming to County Antrim on Saturday, January 18 is well-known champion show producer and rider Richard Telford who will travel from Scotland to run a working hunter and flat clinic at Connell Hill Equestrian.

Open to all ages and abilities, you don’t have to be aiming for anything big or even interested in showing, this is a rare opportunity to ride under the instruction of Richard, a true professional who is super at teaching and all aspects of working on the flat. Groups of four at £40 per person per hour. The Clinic is high in demand. All enquires please contact Gillian Creighton direct on 07715 201787 for details. Payment secures your slot.

Connell Hill have also secured dates for another four-week flat work clinic with Lisa Dundee every Monday evening in January between 5.30pm and 8.30pm following a highly productive clinic last month with in-house riders.

The 2025 clinic will now open up to everyone, and encompass all age groups and abilities who can learn true horsemanship techniques under Lisa’s watchful eye. Feedback from the November group has dictated demand with participants already booked for next year.

One participant from last month’s clinic said about her young horse: “It’s amazing how Lisa can see a problem immediately and provide the solution within minutes of joining the group.”

This clinic will book up quickly so please contact Gillian Creighton direct for further details.

February and March 2025 will open up further opportunities for local riders to train with Scottish Show Producer Kirsty Ard, and this year's Supreme Working Hunter Champion of the prestigious Horse of the Year Show, Craig Kiddier.

Further details of these clinics will be released shortly and dates to be confirmed.

New Year dates for your diary

- Saturday, January 4, Unregistered show jumping training show, x-poles up to 1.20m.

- Monday, January 6, flat work clinic with Lisa Dundee, 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

- Saturday, January 11, Unregistered show jumping training show, x-poles up to 1.20m.

- Sunday, January 12, Connell Hill Working Hunter Show incorporating NIF Qualifiers – Horses scheduled to run morning/am and Ponies afternoon/pm.

Monday, January 13, flat work clinic with Lisa Dundee, 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

- Saturday, January 18, 1-Day Clinic at Connell Hill with Scottish based top show producer and rider Richard Telford. Contact Gillian direct on 07715 201787 for bookings and/or enquiries.

- Sunday, January 19, A Judges Assessment Day with Ryan Anderson is open to anyone interested in becoming a judge, come along and be assessed. Everyone with an interest is very welcome.

- Monday, January 20, flat work clinic with Lisa Dundee, 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

- Saturday, January 25, Unregistered show jumping training show, x-poles up to 1.20m.

- Monday, January 27, flat work clinic with Lisa Dundee, 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

- February 2025, Clinic at Connell Hill with top show producer Kirsty Ard, Further details to follow and dates to be confirmed. To register interest please contact Gillian Creighton on 07715 201787

- March 2025, Clinic at Connell Hill with UK based top producer and rider Craig Kiddier. Craig is this year’s Supreme Working Hunter Champion of Champions at the Royal International Horse Show and Working Hunter Supreme Hunter Champion at the prestigious Horse of the Year Show 2024. All details to be finalised and dates to be confirmed. Please contact Gillian direct with expressions of interest.

Connell Hill Equestrian is no stranger to top class results.

A family run business approaching 40 years in the equine industry at local, national and international level, everyone at Connell Hill is ready to celebrate Christmas and the New Year with you.

Come along and join in – everyone is always very welcome.