Qualifiers for the 2021 RDS National Championships August 18-22 will start from later this month and continue through June into July. Competitions at the RDS National Championships will take place on the hallowed turf of the RDS Main Arena, while international Course Designer, Alan Wade has also been confirmed for all three days of show jumping competitions in the RDS.
Wednesday is Young Horse day at the RDS National Championships, including classes for yearlings, two-year-olds, three-year-olds, the Young Horse Championships and the Three Year Old Potential Event Horse class. Thursday is a day for Show Hunters and breeding stock, incorporating classes for Irish Draught Mares and Foals and two Breeders' Championship classes. Friday is Pony day at the RDS Main Arena. There will be classes for 128cm, 138cm, 148cm and the 148cm Six & Seven Year Old Ponies. A competition for Children on Horses will also take place on Friday. Saturday begins with the Amateur final followed by the three young rider classes and finishes up with the Four Year Old Final in the Main Arena. The Horse finals take place on Sunday, with the Five Year Olds, Six Year Olds, and Seven Year Olds, before finishing up with an Eight & Nine Year Old class.
RDS Chief Executive, Geraldine Ruane spoke about this year’s event: “People have been very appreciative of the RDS National Championships since we announced it. Everyone understands that we are operating in exceptional circumstances and recognise that the RDS has a desire to do what it can for the greater good of the sport horse industry. The late August dates for the Championships gives us a little more manoeuvrability for qualifying this summer and hopefully this helps competitors to get prepared as best they can. We’re also delighted to have international course designer Alan Wade on-board. The RDS has been fortunate to have Alan with us over many years at the Dublin Horse Show, and are delighted to have him with us in these unique circumstances. All of this is in anticipation of receiving Government approval for this event to take place in August.”
A total prize fund of €167,000 has been confirmed for the five-day event. The number of qualifying places that would typically be on offer for the show jumping classes at the Dublin Horse Show have been retained for the RDS National Championships.
In new departure for the RDS there will be qualifiers for all showing classes at this year’s event. There are four showing qualifiers which will cover the Young Horses, the Irish Draught Mares and Foal, the Breeders’ Championship and the Show Hunters. With two or three qualifying spaces available at each of the four showing qualifiers there will be between 10 and 12 qualifying places available for each showing final at the RDS. The Three Year Old Potential Event Horse and Loose Performance qualifiers will take place as per previous years, over a two-week period, from Monday to Friday in late June / early July. The RDS National Championships Competition Schedule will be available from early June.
All finals will take place in the RDS Main Arena apart from the Young Event Horse, Junior / Young Rider Event Horse, Connemara Performance Hunter, Performance Irish Draught which will all take place at Lambertstown, Kilmessan, Co. Meath on Tuesday August 17.
A closing date of the 19th of July has been confirmed for all entries for the RDS National Championships.
--ENDS--
2021 RDS National Championships Qualifiers
Horses – 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 Year Olds (show jumping)
The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan, Co. Armagh Wednesday 26 May
Mullingar Equestrian Centre, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath Wednesday 16 June
Barnadown Showjumping, Gorey, Co. Wexford Wednesday 30 June
Ponies (show jumping)
Barnadown Showjumping, Gorey, Co Wexford Saturday 19 June
Ard Chuain Equestrian Centre, Co. Sligo Saturday 26 June
Cavan Equestrian Centre, Latt, Co. Cavan Saturday 10 July
The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan, Co Armagh Saturday 17 July
Young Riders & Children on Horses (show jumping)
Barnadown Showjumping, Gorey, Co Wexford Sunday 20 June
Ard Chuain Equestrian Centre, Collooney, Co. Sligo Sunday 27 June
Cavan Equestrian Centre, Latt, Co. Cavan Sunday 11 July
The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan, Co Armagh Sunday 18 July
Amateurs (show jumping)
Ballinamona Equestrian Centre, Old Tramore Rd., Co. Waterford Saturday 12 June
Tipperary Equestrian Centre, Thurles, Co. Tipperary Saturday 19 June
Galway Equestrian Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway Sunday 27 June
Ravensdale Equestrian Centre, Dundalk, Co. Louth Saturday 3 July
Three Year Old Potential Event Horse
Top Flight Equestrian Centre, Warrington, Co. Kilkenny Monday 21 June
County Clare Showgrounds, Ennis, Co. Clare Tuesday 22 June
Tubberbride Equestrian Centre, Collooney, Co. Sligo Wednesday 23 June
Ross House Equestrian Centre, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan Thursday 24 June
Kernan’s Equestrian Centre, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh Friday 25 June
Three Year Old Loose Performance
Top Flight Equestrian Centre, Warrington, Co. Kilkenny Monday 28 June
County Clare Showgrounds, Ennis, Co. Clare Tuesday 29 June
Tubberbride Equestrian Centre, Collooney, Co. Sligo Wednesday 30 June
Kernan’s Equestrian Centre, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh Thursday 1 July
Ross House Equestrian Centre, Mountnugent, Co. Cavan Friday 2 July
Young Event Horse & Junior / Young Rider Event Horse / Connemara Performance Hunter / Performance Irish Draught
Tullylish, Gilford, Co. Armagh Thursday 1 July
Scarteen, Knocklong, Co. Limerick Thursday 8 July
Forth Mountain, Barntown, Co. Wexford Thursday 15 July
Rincoola, Granard, Co. Longford Thursday 22 July
Breeders’ Championship / Irish Draught Mares & Foals / Young Horses (Yearlings, Two Year Olds, Three Year Olds In-hand)
The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan, Co. Armagh Saturday 19 June
Maryville Stables, Carrigaline, Co. Cork Saturday 19 June
Galway Equestrian Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway Saturday 3 July
Barnadown Showjumping, Gorey, Co Wexford Sunday 11 July
Show Hunters
The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan, Co. Armagh Sunday 20 June
Maryville Stables, Carrigaline, Co. Cork Sunday 20 June
Galway Equestrian Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway Sunday 4 July
Barnadown Showjumping, Gorey, Co Wexford Saturday 10 July
