Society News

TULLAMORE SHOW AUGUST 12th
CLYDESDALE HORSE IN HAND & RIDDEN TULLAMORE SHOW 2007.

CLASS 438; REGISTERED CLYDESDALE MARE
Sponsor; SOUTH MIDLAND CONSTRUCTION
Prizes; 1st e150.00 -2nd e100.00 3rd-e50.00

CLASS 439; REGISTERED CLYDESDALE FOAL
Sponsor; CLEANING DOCTOR BALLINAGAR
Prizes ; 1st e150.00 -2nd e100.00 3rd -e50.00

CLASS 440; REGISTERED CLYDESDALE 3YRS & OVER
Sponsor ; EMO OIL LIMITED
Prizes ; st e150.00 -2nd-e100.00 3rd- e50.00

CLASS 441; REGISTERED CLYDESDALE YEARLING COLT,GELDIND OR FILLY
Sponsor; COOLMORE STUD
Prizes ; 1st e15.00 - 2nd -e100.00 3rd -e50.00

Class 442; REGISTERED CLYDESDALE 2YEAR COLT, GELDING ,OR FILLY
Sponsor; KARL HANNAH FENCING CONTRACTOR
Prizes ; 1st e150.00 2nd -e100.00 3rd -e50.00

CLASS 443 ; REGISTERED CLYDESDALE RIDDEN UNDER SADDLE
Sponsor; BRACKEN DISMANTLERS, BALLYCUMBER
Prizes; 1st e150.00 2nd-e100.00 3rd -e50.00

Class 444; YOUNG HANDLERS CLASS ( 10-16 YEARS OF AGE)
Sponsor ; AUSTIN COLTON FENCING CONTRACTOR BALLINAGAR
Prizes ; 1st e150.00 2nd-e100.00 3rd -e 50.00

CLASS 445; CLYDESDALE CHAMPION
Sponsor ; MR DEREK BAILEY
1st & 2nd prize winners from classes 438 to 444 qualify for this event.

The Clydesdale Horse has worldwide appeal
Article from the Irish Field, Saturday, December 16, 2006.
By Susan Finnerty

With the classic Budwesier advertisements rating as one of the most popular internet downloads, the Clydesdale Horse Society of Ireland picked the perfect season to hold an information evening in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore.

Chairman of the Society, Derek Bailey, outlined the current position with the group now having more than 50 active members with over 100 registered mares with passports issued through the main studbook in Scotland. "Scotland is the mother of the Clydesdale breed," he said, "and Bob Hamilton who has travelled over to judge here has been impressed with the stock here"

The Clydesdale horse, standing between 16.2 and 18.0 hands high, originated in the Lanarkshire region in Scotland from where they were exported worldwide. Used not only for farmwork, full and part-bred Clydesdales are also in demand for the leciure markets. Clyde mares make particularly good foster mothers and several famous show jumpers feature a Clydesdale ancestor.

"There is a big demand for filly foals," according to the Society's secretary Ann Marie Lloyd, another clydesdale enthusiast who is working on the setting up their website. She also explained the lengthy procedure for turning clydes out for the showring. "A lot of work goes into getting them ready, their feathers have to be as white as possible."

Along with gallons of shampoo and rugging up the night before a show, (Ann Marie uses a 7ft 9in rug on her mare), what is the traditional Clydesdale turnout?

"We plait on the morning of the show, it's like a running French plait along the ends of the mane with coloured wool added in. They're shown in a white rope head collar and their tails are plaited, bound up and finished off with raffia."

The Society, who had twice-daily parades at the Emo County Fair, hope to organise an Open Day with turnout demonstrations and displays in addition to Clydesdale classes hosted at shows such as Charleville, Kilmacanogue, Tullamore, Virginia and mountbellew. Bailey and vice-chairman, Brian Gallagher visited the Royal Highland Show last June, which has a wide-range of in-hand and ridden classes, and they hope to organise a group trip to the World Championships in Milwaukee next summer.

Due to the Budweiser link, the "gentle giants" are instantly recognisable in America. Their association with the Anheuser-Busch brewery began back in 1933 when August A. Busch jnr presented a gift of a Clydesdale team and beer wagon to his father to commerate the firt bottle of post-prohibition beer brewed in St. Louis. This city is also the official home of the Budwesier Clydesdales who are housed in an ornate brick and stained-glass stable built in 1885, (and now listed as a historic landmark building) on the 100-acre Anheuser-Busch brewery complex.

First by train and now by air-conditioned trailers, the Budwesier Clydesdales tour North America for 10 months of the year and are in huge demand at pageants, festivals and sporting events. They even travel with another Budweiser mascot - Dalmation dogs - which were traditionally used to guard the beer wagons on delivery rounds. The clydesdale Horse Society welcomes new members and Clydesdale fans can contact Derek Bailey on 087-2502837 or Ann Marie Lloyd on 087-6751014.