Galloping success at cavan equestrian centre

Cavan Equestrian Centre on the outskirts of the county town is a buzzing hive of activity and has been since it opened its doors over 30 years ago. Husband and wife team, Pauline and Mervyn Clarke established the business in 1983 and ran it for many years, and their son Stuart has now taken over the reins. So what goes on behind closed doors/stalls at the centre? JENNY MCGOVERN caught up with PAULINE CLARKE ahead of one of their biggest events this weekend...

The Cavan Equestrian Centre, which is one of the biggest and busiest in the country for show jumping and all other equestrian events, has a successful record in organising and hosting performance horse and pony sales. This weekend, the centre will host its twentieth Cavan International Horse Show. There are several events throughout the year but the Cavan International Horse Show is the only international show that the centre holds for horses. People are currently enroute to Cavan from the UK, Dubai, America and all over Europe for this event. Pauline estimates that there will be 100,000 people including spectators and competitors coming through their doors over the week of the show.
Pauline reminisces that it was her husband Mervyn who nurtured the love for all things equine in their family. Their children had ponies when they were young and the business grew from there. The superb facilities now include: 600 stables on site, three indoor arenas and outdoor facilities including sand and grass arenas, saddlery and equestrian clothing shops, a bar, a restaurant and a large hardcore truck and car park. Yet the centre, which is just 2km from the heart of Cavan Town, is often overlooked by the people of its own county.
“I think the people of Cavan think that you have to be 'horsey’ to come to the equestrian centre, which is nonsense. We have a bar and we have a fabulous restaurant, which serves excellent food, and also have ample parking space but there seems to be a notion that you have to be 'horsey’ to avail of these facilities,” laments Pauline.
“But when people (those of whom are not from a horse household) come to the centre for events, they are always gobsmacked by what they encounter here. I’ve often heard people say 'I didn’t realise that it would be so entertaining’. It’s not a case of having to come out here dressed in wellies and jodhpurs, there is something for everyone,” she insists.
Not a week goes by that there isn’t an event of some description held in the centre. Just last weekend it played host to over 450 people from all across Ireland for a Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) conference, where all of the top European show jumpers gave lectures and demonstrations to the Irish fraternity.

Spin off
From a tourism perspective, there is a great spin off effect from the events held at Cavan Equestrian Centre. Pauline reveals that when competetive events such as this week’s International Horse Show come round, she spends a majority of her time on the phone to local accommodation providers. “I’ve been on the phone all week enquiring about accommodation for visitors, it’s a great boost to the economy, every local hotel and B&B are full, it’s a great spin off for the community,” she said, pointing to a similar situation last September when the equestrian centre hosted the National Dressage Championships.

Auctions
Auctions and performance sales are held at the centre every six weeks. Organising these is no easy task. “It’s all done to a very high standard,” Pauline says.
“Everyone must pre enter the sales, vendors bring in their horses and ponies for sale at the centre. We always print a catalogue of what’s available for sale and we also have auctioneers on the roster at these events, it’s a lot of work but very fulfilling,” she explains.
Pauline says that the investments that they have made over the last 30 years are starting to pay off. “We would have invested €4-€5 million gradually over the years, like everyone else the business slowed down during the recession but thankfully it seems to be picking up again. We’ve had an excellent year, things are on the up, thank God. Horses don’t know whether it’s Christmas Day or Sunday; it’s 52 weeks of the year. It’s a big commitment - except you loved what you did, you wouldn’t be doing it.”

Good quality livestock
Pauline admits that a lot of their success boils down to the quality of livestock in Ireland. “The Irish horse is the best in the world,” she says. “As long as we breed good stock here, we’ll always have people to buy our horses. They’re coming from all over the world to buy the Irish horse. They say it has something to do with the grass, I think, the temperment of an Irish horse is lovely. I don’t quite understand the technology behind it but I do know that they are the most sought-after horse in the world. It’s a big enterprise, sometimes a big headache, but I love it,” she chuckles.

A rich man’s sport?
Challenged as to whether perceptions are changing that horse sports are for the elite, Pauline says “absolutely”.
She elaborates: “It has totally changed. Years ago, it was only the rich people who could afford to keep a horse, not any more. Every Joe Bloggs can have a horse/pony for themselves or their child, it’s so much more affordable now. More and more ordinary people are taking to the sport. The sport is open for everyone now.
“It’s not like in the past where horses where reserved for the Earls at hunting season. We have people from every walk of life coming into the world of horses/equine events. An example I use is - It’s like when a person plays golf, it’s their passion, their hobby. It’s a way of life. For a lot of people, their father before them did it and they are carrying on the tradition - it’s the same with anything.”

Big events
As well as show jumping, dressage, auctions and conferences, the Cavan Equestrian Centre plays host to several high-profile events throughout the year. “We never refuse anything, we have shows here every week, we’ve had dog shows, cattle shows, home exhibitions, wedding showcases, we even had an antique car and truck show here a couple of weeks ago. The centre really is open for everything and anything,” she enthuses.
One of the bigger highlights she points to was when country singer Kenny Rogers sold out a concert there in 2009.
Pauline teases that, although the haven’t confirmed anything, there are plans in the pipeline for future events such as these. “Our priority now is to attract people to the equestrian centre for events. Most people want to go to the 02 in Dublin or the Odyessy in Belfast but, geographically speaking, we are perfectly located here in Cavan - the centre of Ireland. It’s an ideal venue for events, a real hidden gem,” she says.
The twentieth Cavan International Horse Show will open in Cavan Equestrian Centre this Wednesday, November 5 and run’s daily until Sunday, November 9. For full details on the event see Sports page 25 for full details.