Ballinasloe Official Town Website - All the latest news from Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
  • Home
  • About
    • How to get to Ballinasloe
    • Contact
    • History of the Fair
    • Walks and Trails
  • A to Z
    • Remote Working
  • Shops
  • Sports
    • Sports Hub
  • News
  • What's On

BALLINASLOE

News

Godfrey Gibbons Young Rider of the Year

3/10/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
A native of Ballinasloe, whose familiy have ran the Pillar House on Society St for decades and have been connected with Hunts, Shows and all matters equestrian recently won the Irish Field Young Rider Of The Year accolade.

Godfrey is the son of Godfrey and Marie Gibbons and has one sister Katie, has just started his fifth year in secondary school at St. Joseph Garbally’s. 

Have been involved in horses since he was really young, Godfrey joined the East Galway Pony Club when he was seven years old and also started hunting with East Galway around that time. Godfrey’s aunt Sinead also has a riding school in Ballinrobe, where he spent many summers holidaying and improving his equestrian skills.

Godfrey began eventing through the Ballinasloe Pony Club, competing in some local competitions, and eventually moving on to national competitions. There was a really a variety of disciplines that Godfrey really enjoyed along with the dressage, showjumping, and cross country, he then progressed to compete with Eventing Ireland.

 “I became part of a high performance program in 2019, unfortunately all the international competitions were cancelled in 2020 due to covid, but I continued to train hard and had a successful season on the national circuit, this along with the results in early part of 2021 put me in contention for the Irish team.” explains Godfrey Og. 

Recently Godfrey travelled to Sweden waiting four days for the horses to arrive. The horses left Ireland on Wednesday, and Godfrey flew out on Sunday arriving right on time to take them off the truck!
Competing on a team of four alongside Tom McCormack, Susan Shanahan and Indya Rogers, they stared out well, lying third after dressage, when a few mishaps on the cross country course moved them down the leaderboard and they finished in sixth place overall out of 14 teams.

"My horse's name is Milchem Free Spirit. Nine years of age, we bought her two years ago and introduced her to eventing, moving her up the grades over the last two seasons”, states the young rising star.

Godfrey was really proud to be part of the team and enjoyed meeting riders from other countries. He was shocked to learn that he had been awarded Irish Field Young Rider of the Year Award for 2020 as he was unaware that he was even in the running for the award and the first young person of our community to do do!

“I will hopefully continue to compete in international events with Milchem Free Spirit and I am also breaking and bringing on some younger horses with a view to being able to compete them at that level in the future. Horse riding is an individual sport but it takes a team to make it happen – big thanks to my family and my coaches especially Ralph Conroy who have helped me along the way.” noted the young Eventer. 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    BACK

    RSS Feed

    CLICK HERE to read the Latest Ballinasloe News Articles

    If you have you any news - 
    email us!
    ​

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

The Town Team was set up by BACD Ltd. to revive the fortunes of Ballinasloe and its hinterland. With the main focus to build on the town’s many strengths, change existing negative perceptions and bring about measurable improvements in the town centre economy and its wider social value.
Contact Us
Service Directory
Homepage
Links
How to get to Ballinasloe
Privacy Statement
Sitemap
Latest Ballinasloe Death Notices
Picture
Ballinasloe Area Community Development Ltd.
Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre 
Creagh
Ballinasloe
Co. Galway

Email
All generic photos and images have been sourced and are free of copyright or are clip art images free of copyright.  Photos of Ballinasloe have been donated by BEC.  If you have any photos that you would like included on the website please email us
Copyright © All rights reserved, 2022 BACD 
  • Home
  • About
    • How to get to Ballinasloe
    • Contact
    • History of the Fair
    • Walks and Trails
  • A to Z
    • Remote Working
  • Shops
  • Sports
    • Sports Hub
  • News
  • What's On