Some news at last!!!!

Hi all, first I must apologise for not writing for so long. Life is passing me by big time and I don't know where my days go anymore (must be to do with my old age).

All is well, I am just back riding after spending the last month trying to organise a "Fun Night at the Dogs" in order to raise some badly needed funds. It was held at Dundalk Stadium on the 15th of December and we ended up having a great night. It was hard work to organise but thanks to my very loyal and long time friend Helen and my family we ended up having a great night and we made enough to keep me going in training for another while.

Any other news, well we went to the Eastern Region Dressage ball, I think that was on in October and I was very kindly presented with an award for outstanding achievement in 2007. Many thanks to Jo and Dee for sponsoring the award and to Gillian Kyle.

On November 13th we ie Youri and I did a dressage demo for the RDA (riding for the disabled)s national conference in Templepatrick just north of Belfast. Jan from Jumpingaround.com very kindly drove me and Youri and Piglet (Youris travelling companion) and Wayne (my helper for the day). We went up the day before and the horses stayed with a lovely family just outside Crumlin. We stayed at a hotel in Belfast and made our way to the Laurel View Stud the next morningl. Alison Maston commentated for us and I think we all enjoyed it. Youri was a bit hyper but we managed. Thanks to all involved for looking after us so well.

Hello People, I hope you are all well. I have just had the best weekend ever. I was competing at Dressage Irelands National Championships which took place at Necarne Castle in Irvinstown, Co Fermanagh. We all headed of in convoy on Thursday 20th Sept at 9am. Niall my trainer took his horse Frodo and Youri. Rachel took her horse Teraldo, Kevin took Nicolas horse PD, Jan took her horses Monty and Billy and I took all the gear in my box.

We got to Necarne about 2.30 and we all got sorted with stables. The stable manager turned out to be Paddy. Paddy came to Belgium with Para Equestrian Ireland as a groom two years ago and I hadn't seen him since so that was a lovely surprise. Youri was stabled but would not settle and so Paddy very kindly found me another home for my horse and we settled ourselves in. I tacked up Youri and Niall rode him and then I did. We settled him for the night and went and had dinner about 9 and a party afterwards which was great fun.

Friday 21st - I was on at 2.07. I got Youri tacked up and ready for Niall. He went really well for Niall and I. We ended up 7th with 62%. I was competing against 38 able bodied riders at elementary level so I was happy enough. Youri was still very unsettled in his stable and good old Paddy came to the rescue and moved us once more, to be near the other horses that Youri knew and he settled down at last. I then went to offer my services at the office and ended up calling competitors from the warm up ring to the competition ring for two hours.

Saturday 22nd - I was on at 12.55. Niall warmed Youri up for me again. Youri was great we rode a good test. We got 65% and ended up in 5th place. I helped out for an hour in the office and then we all had showers and went for dinner and prise giving. I got a rosette for my 5th place and I ended up 5th overall in the Championships and got another rosette and 60 euro. I was thrilled to bits and we partied in to the early hours!

Sunday we watched the grand prix and then packed up for home and loaded the horses. I slept for a while in the afternoon and Jan and Gemma and I left about 5.30 and got back to the yard at 10. A great weekend was had by all.

Hi all, please note I have just discovered how to upload pictures on to my blog and have got carried away with it all. Hope to have many more to show you along with the people and the animals in my life.

This is Youri and I doing a dressage demonstration at the Horse Show in Dublin in Aug 2007.

This is us at the World Para Dressage Championships in July 2007. Pictures kindly supplied by www.jumpingaround.com

Hi Everyone

I am back home in good old Ireland a week now. Life has been hectic since then. I stayed with Helen on Sunday night, Helens husband Jim and their kids Kyle and Dean picked me up from the airport. Monday I drove to Armagh to check my post and got back to Helens Monday evening. Tuesday I made my way back to Arklow and I had lessons Wednesday and Thursday. Niall my trainer had been riding Youri and he was in good form and I got out for a hack each day. Paul entered me for the elementary at the Marlton Summer Festival which took place Saturday and Sunday. I got 68% in my first test and won and 59.66% in my second test. Sunday I rode one test and got 62% and came third. I was delighted with my win as it was an able bodied competition and only the second time I rode an elementary test on Youri. Youri was such a good boy! I managed to get into the National Championships which take place in two weeks time so its all go and lots of work to be done. On Saturday I did a radio interview with a gentleman called Jim from Wexford local radio. I will keep you posted.

Greetings from China, well where do I start, maybe with the day before yesterday ie Tuesday. We were up at 6am in order to get the second pee in and get breakfast and be on the bus for 7.45am (these early mornings are not good for my well being). I was pretty sore today (namely my ass) and my first horse had a really bad runny green snotty nose so we sent him back. Then they brought out Bredas horse for me to ride as well as Breda so I said I wouldn't ride as it wasn't fair on the horse so they brought me out a third horse which I rode. We had a man called Frank taking pics of us trotting around the place with our horses heads in the air!!! Anyway we all got to ride and got back to the hotel in time for a shower and some lunch and then we were on tour for the afternoon. We went to the silk factory for three quarters of an hour and I spent monies on a silk quilt, I could have spent the day there as there was a big shop which I missed out on, never mind. We then went into town to see an acrobatic show which was brilliant and then got back to the hotel just in time to have dinner and then go bowling. We were pretty tired by the end of the day, but we had the morning off so we were all looking forward to a lie in, except for having to get up at 8 to pee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday - got up to pee 15 mins late!!!!!!!!!!! We had breakfast and then I went for a massage with Brendan which was pretty sore!!, we had lunch and then made our way to the equestrian centre. My bum was really sore today when I was riding but we rode outdoors in the searing heat for about 40 mins and I got to ride my favourite horse Ladore again. He actually goes on the bit without a major struggle! Ka and Breda both rode well. We arrived home in time to sleep and shower and we met for dinner about 7.30 and I spent the evening chasing Dr Joe to check me and Kas injuries out. Ka had rubbed the insides of her legs and my arse was getting worse and I had swollen lymph nodes so Kas legs were dressed and so was my arse. I was then issued with double dose of antibiotics as infection looked like it was setting in.

Today Thursday 30th, I didn't sleep too well, so had a lie in till 9.30 (really late for my second pee!!!!!). Under Dr Joes orders neither Ka or I will be riding any more especially as we both have competitions at home next week. Breda had to be up at the crack of dawn to ride and Ka went with the crew. Addie has organised a tour to the great wall this afternoon so we are looking forward to that. Well I think thats most of my news. Sorry about lack of reply to emails we are just struggling for time and there is only one computer to serve over 60 of us!!!

I may not get to write again, so the plan is for one more day of training for all, except the injured. Saturday is evaluation day and shopping day and Sunday is home day, Yippeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

Hi, well its now Sunday evening and its 7.15. We rode again this morning and it was awful. I wore myself into the ground trying to get my horse to go. They are old riding school horses used to teach the kids to ride and its really hard work. Our days are going as follows, up in the morn at 7am have a pee and drink at least two bottles of water before 8am so you can hand in a second sample for analysis and then you get weighed and fill in your questionnaire as to how your nights sleep went! As most of you will know this gets me off to a great start!! I then meet up with the rest for breakfast which I have had most days (surprise surprise) and then its off to the equestrian centre at 9am to ride at 10am. The three of us have 2 hrs between us and Ka and I ride together and then Breda goes. It was really hot yesterday but today believe it or not you'd think we were in Ireland. It was 20deg and pouring with rain. We had the company of two technicians today to weigh us before and after we ride to see if we lost any weight which we did except for Breda who for some strange reason put some on!! We get together for dinner at 8pm and then retire to the bar for a coffee!!!!!!! and we gotta be in our rooms by 11.30. So there you have all the boring details. The Chinese people have been great and they are really friendly. I have met a lot of people from the other sports and I am off to watch the Bocca tomorrow and hopefully have a go!! Till next time................

Well my pals, am in bleedin hot Beijing. We set off from Dublin at 8.30, thanks to Jim for dropping me off at the airport. Just over 60 of us left for Amsterdam and had an hour and a half to spear before boarding for China. It was a long 8 and a half hours. Met a nice lady from Germany and Eamon Heaney who Niall knows well kept me company for the flight. We landed in Beijing at 8.30 Friday morning and finally got to the hotel about 11.30. The hotel is very grand, the Chinese people looking after us seam really nice and so far so good. Doni and Adeline went off to see the horses. I had a shower and changed and had some lunch and spent the afternoon in bed!!

We have just had an athletes meeting and we have a BBQ happening outside tonight so am off to plaster myself in insect repellent!! So all is well thinking of you all, miss you lots. You can email me at eilishbyrne@aol.com and I can pick them up here. Lots of Luv Eilish

On Monday Paul put Youri out for a well earned break. When he brought him in Youri had somehow managed to cut the front of his right leg (the same one he injured before!!). Paul called the vet and he had to get a few staples in for 10 days. He was sound and I have been able to ride him and he will be fine thankfully.

My plan is to do an elementary test on Saturday to try and qualify for the national able bodied championships which are on in Sept.

I am off to China on the 23rd of August for ten days with the Irish Paralympic Council. This is in preperation for the games next year to see how we cope with the climate and to learn how we can best manage ourselves. We have showjumpers to ride twice a day. I should have access to a computer so will let you know how we are getting on.

Hi All you lovely people, well I am just about recovered from my weekend in Dublin at the Horse Show at the RDS. Paul and I headed off at 8am last Friday with Frodo (Nialls horse ridden by Ruth Chadwick) and my man Youri. I was a bit sick about towing with my little car and coping with the traffic in Dublin. It only took us an hour to get to Dublin and then at least another hour to get into arrivals. We met Sue and Ruth there and Paul and Ruth off loaded the horses and took them too the stables. I had to leave arrivals and try and find somewhere to park. We went to the Belvedere Car Park but it was full and we ended up stranded on the side of the road. While I was waiting for Paul a lady and her kids parked in front of me and came over to ask if I was the lady in Irelands Horse and Pony Mag (John Tynan a reporter did an article for the August issue). The girls were excited about seeing me and I was chuffed. Paul arrived and ended up paying some guy to park my box in his front garden and Rachel talked the car park attendants into taking my car.

Ruth and Kate Dwyer were on at 3 in ring 1 and then at 3.45 in the main arena. The girls did great and the horses were super. Paul and I ended up in the bar and then back to Pauls house and as it was Pauls birthday we had to celebrate. We went for dinner and then to Annabells and had a great night.

Saturday, Paul rode Youri for an hour then put him away and got him ready for his big day, I got up about 1.30pm and we were on at 1.50, I was pretty nervous but he went well in the warm up arena. We were called into ring 1 and there was loads of people and the loud speakers were on and Youri didn't know where to put himself. Rachel came in a managed to take a hold of Youri before he did anything silly. We walked around for a while and then he calmed down and we did some nice work and Niall commentated and he was great. I got down in the ring and parked my bum in the buggy and Paul took Youri, when the crowd clapped he went a bit mad. The rest of the girls ie Ruth Kate and Lara put on a great show and as we left I saw Mum and Kelly and Dad and they were delighted. Rachel and Breda and Adeline were there and we had a great afternoon. Mum and Dad and Kelly and I went for lunch. We got great compliments from people and I was on a high. I dropped Paul home and I went home to Arklow to get some badly needed Sleep.

Sunday I got back to Dublin about 11 and saw Nicola jumping in the main arena. I managed to get a little shopping in and then it was time to get ready. Paul rode Youri again for an hour and I got up about 2.30. I was more nervous than the day before and Youri wasn't much better. Paul led us in on a lead rope and Niall talked about Ruth first and then me we did our wee bit and I was more than happy to get off!! I met loads of people I knew and had great fun after. We finally got home about 7.30. A big thank you to Paul, Niall, Ruth, Sue, Jeff, Jan and Mags and Rachel for your help and support and pictures.

Hello, well its now July 25th and we got home from the World Championships on Monday night. It was a huge learning curve and to be honest I am feeling a little deflated and disappointed with our overall performance. This is how our week went. We ie Paul Kilbride and Niall Quirk and I left Ireland on Monday 16th and made it to Hartpury around 4.30pm, the horses arrived about a half an hour later and we settled them in and went and had dinner. The rest of the team flew to Bristol and arrived in Hartpury earlier the same day.

Tuesday we got to ride in the new Hartpury Arena and practiced our music. I was so engrossed with riding my horse I went up the centre line at the end the wrong way and didn't even realise what I had done, we had a good laugh over that, but thank god it happened on a practice day!!!!

Wednesday, we had to be on our horses by 8am and trained in indoor 1, a horse got loose and got into the arena where we were working and Youri started playing up and spinning around the place, I broke one of my straps and was lucky to stay on. Later on that evening Paul noticed Youris leg swollen and he was lame, he had a lump at the back of his right leg and all Paul could do was cold hose it and bandage it. We had the opening ceremony and it was great fun and we met lots of lovely people and our sponsors and I got to carry the Irish flag which I was very proud of.

Thursday, we were back in the Hartpury indoor at 7am. Youri was fine and sound thankfully. Thursday afternoon we had the trot up and we were all very nervous but they all passed with no problems.

Friday, our warm up team test was on, I was on at 11.42 and ended up with a score of 67.524 and was placed ninth and got into the prize ceremony which was great fun. I was thrilled there was 32 competitors in my grade ie grade 2 and it was a great feeling.

Saturday, our individual test was on the the old indoor and we had a good warm up and then we went into the competition arena and Youri lost his life with all the people and the judges at the side of the arena and kept spooking and wouldn't go up to the top of the arena. Paul was allowed into the arena to walk us up to the top and then we went for it. We trotted up the centre line and halted and he reined back and wouldn't go up the centre line. I had to turn before C and ended up loosing out on my first 4 movements. We got better and better and the last two minutes of my test was really good. I ended up with 61.818 and in 20th place. I had a good cry afterwards, but lots of people stopped me and complimented me on how well I rode through it all.

Sunday was my freestyle and Youri felt really dead on me. I couldn't get his back and and just kept pushing him on and it was awful. I ended up with 62.774 and am not sure if I ended up in 12th or 13th place. And that was it, it was all over and Paul and I headed straight for the bar. We attended the closing ceremony and prize giving and Princess Hyia was there to present. Jill arrived with the lorry about 9pm and we we loaded the horse box. We then all retired to the bar and had good fun till about 4am!!

Monday we were up at 7am and loaded the horses and headed for home.

Hello, its now Sunday 15th, the horse box is loaded and we are all set. We ie Niall and Paul and I are loading the horses at 5.30am and then heading to Roslare for a nine o clock ferry to Fishguard. From there we will make our way to Hartpury College for the 1st ever FEI World Para Dressage Championships. I am a nervous wreck and hoping things will settle down once I get there and we get our bearings. I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported me financially and emotionally and I hope I can make you all proud of me. Thanks again. Lots of Love Eilish

Hi all you lovely people, well time is moving on and we are working as hard as poss. Two great things happened, last night my trainer called to say I had been asked by Dressage Ireland to do a demo at the RDS in Dublin, in August ie do a demo at the Dublin Horse Show. Of course I had to think about it for all of two seconds. It will be a great opportunity to show off!! and to raise awareness of Para Equestrian.

Today, my god you will not believe what happened me today!! I had a lesson at 12 and afterwards Paul who looks after me and Youri, took Youri to the stable and arrived back with an envelope in his hand and handed it to me. My address was on the front and a note on the back of the envelope read "Good Luck at the World Championships 2007, hope this helps a little". I opened the envelope and it was full of 50 euro notes to the tune of 2000 euro!!!!!!!!!!!!! I nearly fell off my scooter in shock and then came the tears! There was no note to say who it was from and I just couldn't take it in. Then Jan who was at the yard said a man in a business suit looking pretty dapper asked for me and Jan told him I was having a lesson and he asked for Youris stable and left the envelope in the stable and left the yard without saying anything. To my dapper man a million THANK YOUS.

I rang home and friends in tears telling them what happened. I am thrilled to bits and tomorrow Goodwins the saddlers are coming to hopfully fit me with a new saddle as the one I have is not comfortable on Youri and thats what the money will go on.

Hi, its Thursday 28th June and the days are flying by. We leave for Hartpury in England on the 16th of July for the Para Dressage World Championships and my last opportunity to qualify for the Paralympics next year. Work is going well. Youri is in good form. We are having some issues getting a saddle to fit him that I can ride in as well so today all I did was get on and off and tried about 5 saddles and we didn't win. Tomorrow I am heading to a friend down in Ferns to pick up another 4 saddles and will try them out, will keep you posted.

Hi, well its Tuesday, I have had a tough week since I last wrote, rode for six days in a row and had 4 tough but great lessons. My boy, Youri, is going well and seams in good form, he is still lying down lots after his trip to Vienna.

Last Friday I went home to Dundalk and went to a Ceili Mor organised by an old school friend Geraldine Craig in order to raise money, to help me realise my dream to get to the Paralympics. Geraldine is also going to climb Kilamanjaro in September to raise funds. I spent Saturday catching up with paperwork in Armagh and Sunday I went to see my Mum Nora and then to see my pal Helen who 9 weeks ago came off her motorbike and hit the central reservation on the N7 on her way home to Dunleer. Helen broke her right leg and fractured her pelvis in two places and had lots of scraps and stitches on the left side of her bod. Helen is on crutches and just acquired an electric buggy to get her up and running and is doing really well. I have to say Helen and her family has coped amazingly and I am very proud of them all. I got back to Arklow on Monday and had a lesson today with Niall which went well.

My World Championships are on in just over a months time and so the pressure is on to cram in as much work as possible. We are heading for Hartpury in England for the Championships the results will decide whether or not we make it to the Paralympics in Hong Kong next year.

Talk soon

Hi, am finally up and running on my computer again after some technical hitches and looking forward to telling you all my news.

I am not long home from my 1st 4 star international on my new horse Youri. Youri set off for England on Wednesday 23rd of May, he landed in York at 5am on the 24th. Sue and James Joy set off for Vienna late Friday night with 3 horses (Katherine Wheelocks horse Elisa, and Liza Landaus horse Logan) and all our gear and landed in Kreuttal on Monday 28th May.

The team met up at 5am on Monday 28th for a 7.30am flight to Vienna but due to problems with planes we didnt leave Dublin till gone 12 noon. We were collected by two hansom men who took us to our accommodation and then to Kreuttal where we checked the horses and had some dinner. Dieter then took us back to the De la salle school which became home for the next week.

Tuesday we were up early and had some breki and a bus arrived to take us to the horses. We had a lesson with Doni McNamara our national trainer and Sue rode Youri for me to get him going. We had lunch and then we headed off for a tack shop about half an hour away. Once again we returned to have dinner and then headed home.

Wednesday was trot up day and nerves were begining to show, Elisa had kicked out at Youri as he was anoying her and cut her leg but not badly and somehow we all scraped through. We had dinner again at Kreuttal and headed home for an early night.

Thursday - the first day of competition and I was on first at around 12ish with Katherine and Liza on later in the afternoon. I was bricking it at this point as I didn't know how Youri was going to behave. As we went into the arena I felt him go a bit dead on me and worked really hard to try and keep him going. I pushed him too hard and knocked him out of balance, but we produced not a bad test and headed back to the stables and untacked him washed him down and I started to change when Adeline our Chef came to tell me we were second with 63.2%, we didn't have time to tack up again so I went to the prize giving on Lizas electric scooter with a grin on my face from ear to ear! I was beaten by dutch rider
Petra Van de Sander. We won a rosette and lovely piece of Vienese hand made china. We all headed out for dinner in Vienna to celebrate and we had great fun and lots of laughs.

Friday - our second day of competition Youri felt good today, we went into the arena and he was more forward and I was more settled and able to slow him down and we rode a good test, today I stayed on board just in case! I was in the lead but there were 5 more horses to go including yesterdays winner! Then I heard the news I'd WON with a score of 66.45 - I was in shock, I had dreamt of winning for the last 5 years and it had finally come true. Well there was great excitement, prize giving took a little longer than usual as they didn't have the Irish national anthem to play. The organisers downloaded the music and the words for Doni and Rachel to sing!! Then they managed to download the music (thank god!) I won more china and a rug for Youri and a rosette, they played the national anthem and I got to do a lap of honor. I spent about 2 hours on the phone calling home and friends to let them know my news. I got text messages saying my win had been announced on radio and tv which was very exciting. The team were very supportive and we celebrated with a little champers that night!!

Saturday - Freestyle day - I wasn't looking forward to this as I was still using the music I had for my old horse Oberlina and it didn't really work for my new horse and I hadn't enough walk music and didn't spend enough time working out a plan. As I left Doni I said "for what I am about to do I sincerely apologise". We ended up second with 68.6% and was once again thrilled to bits. Needless to say we had plenty of wine and good food that night!!

So it was a great week all in all and we came home happy chappies. I also met a lady the day I won, her name is Janneke from Holland and she had Youri on her yard from when he was 3 years old until he was 9, we swopped email addresses and I hope to get in touch with her and the family who owned him soon. What a small world!!!!