| |
The hustle and bustle of the third day at the National Eventing Championships began to gather pace.
The event grounds at Athenry were already a hive of activity as everyone bustled about, getting ready for the showjumping competition.
Tara took her place at the car park entrance, waving cars through with practised ease.
Despite the muddy patches due to some overnight rain, she handled the role with the expertise of an air traffic controller, guiding each vehicle to its parking spot.
At the trade stands Una was weaving her way through the crowd, her arms laden with hot coffee and sandwiches for the traders.
She couldn't help but sneak another peek at some of her favourite items on the trade stands, even managing to buy some surprise gifts for her friends, tucking them carefully into her bag.
Meanwhile, at the show jumping warm-up arena, Roisin was completely engrossed in her work, assisting riders with their times and numbers as they prepared for the competition.
It was a quieter day today, the rider numbers reduced due to the seventeen disqualifications from the previous day.
Roisin noticed that the riders were noticeably more cautious too, taking extra care with their horses. Everyone was being particularly gentle, as if a single rough action could bring the eagle eyes of Mrs. Thundercare upon them.
As the day wore on with everything going so smoothly in the parking field, trade stands and the warmup arena, Tara, Una and Roisin were released from their duties.
"Finally, break time!" Tara said, stretching out her arms and yawning.
Una and Roisin, nodded, feeling the same, three days of work had left them all feeling exhausted. A friendly voice broke through their relaxation.
"Girls, you've done a great job today," said Mrs. Thundercare, her usually stern face breaking into a rare smile.
"You've earned yourselves a break. Why don't you go and watch the end of the showjumping? We’re just on a ten minute break now, but we’ll be starting back again soon"
Their eyes lit up, and they shared a glance, grinning.
"Really? We can go and watch?" Roisin asked, excitement bubbling in her voice.
"Go on, enjoy!" Mrs. Thundercare shooed them away with a wave of her hand. The girls rushed off towards the viewing area, their tiredness forgotten in their anticipation.
As they reached the edge of the showjumping arena, a girl and her horse cantered in for their round. The announcer's voice rang out.
"Next up, we have Lucy Mulcahy and her Irish Sports Horse, Spotty."
Tara, Una, and Roisin watched as Lucy guided Spotty onto the course. The stunning horse moved with such elegance, making each jump look effortless.
Spotty's dappled grey coat shimmered under the arena lights and his eyes were bright and focused.
"Wow," Tara breathed, her eyes wide with admiration. "Look at them. They're amazing!"
With each successful jump, the girls clapped and cheered along with the crowd. It was an intense moment when Spotty approached the final jump, the highest of them all. The crowd held their breath, watching intently as Lucy asked Spotty forward.
And then - they made it! Spotty cleared the jump carefully. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, the girls shouting their congratulations among them.
Lucy looked overwhelmed, a happy tear trickling down her face as she hugged Spotty's neck, whispering words of gratitude and love into his ear.
"You did it, Spotty," she murmured, her voice lost in the cheers. "You’re amazing!"
"It's like a fairy tale, isn't it?" Una murmured, clapping her hands together.
"From unwanted pony to national champion."
“What do you mean?” Tara asked.
“I heard their story from someone at the trade stands. Lucy bought Spotty as an unwanted five year old at a small horse sale in Laois.
Lucy trained him slowly herself over the last few years, starting at local shows to finally riding at national eventing level competitions,” Una said.
Roisin nodded, her eyes shining with admiration.
"That's the kind of rider I want to be. Someone who loves her horse, who trusts him and cares for him."
Tara agreed, her heart full. "Me too. They're a true team."