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On that Friday, as the first light of day peeked over the horizon, Roisin, Tara, and Una stepped down off the Saddlestone school bus and onto the huge showgrounds in Athenry. Despite the early hour, the air buzzed with excitement.
It was the first day of the Irish National Eventing Championships. Roisin's eyes were wide with wonder.
"Imagine if we get to see George and Superstar!" she said, her voice barely more than a whisper as if saying it louder might somehow jinx it.
George and Superstar were the most famous horse and rider duo in all of Ireland, maybe even the world. Just the thought of seeing them in person sent a thrill through Roisin, Tara, and Una.
With the morning sun warming their backs, they walked together across the sprawling field towards the main stewards' tent. It was time to split up for the day. Mr. Gallagher had given everyone their assignments.
Tara was a steward in the car park, which was in the largest field she had ever seen - even bigger than the one they rode in at Saddlestone.
"Well, I won't get bored, that's for sure!" Tara declared, looking at the endless rows of parked cars and trailers.
Una was sent to help out at the trade stands, fetching coffee and sandwiches for the traders bustling about their business. The sight of the many colourful stalls, selling everything from horse-themed books to saddles, jewellery and more, made her heart beat faster. It was as if she had found herself in a pony paradise, and she was right in the centre of it all.
With a huge grin on her face, she exclaimed, "I'm going to love this job!"
“Yeah, but don’t spend all of your pocket money at once,” Tara teased.
Roisin, meanwhile, was given the task of helping the dressage judges. Her job was to write down the dressage test scores in arena two.
As she took her seat beside a stern-looking judge, she felt a mix of nerves and excitement. She was closer than ever to the action, to the world she had been dreaming about.
"I can't believe I'm here," she whispered to herself, her hand clutching the pen tightly.
The sight of professional riders on their well-groomed horses, riding their advanced dressage tests was enough to take Rosin’s breath away. It was one thing to watch events on the TV, it was quite another to see it in person.
"I'm part of this," she whispered to herself, hardly believing her own words. Her heart pounded in her chest with a mix of excitement, awe, and a tiny bit of fear. She was part of a big horse event and she was determined to make the most of it.