Mark O’Sullivan, Connie O’Connor and John Browne at the Ballybeggan Course getting it ready for Kerry International Horse and Pony Racing event which takes place on Saturday/Sunday, August 16/17. Photo by Dermot Crean
WORK is in full swing up in Ballybeggan at the moment as the course is taking shape for the Kerry International Horse and Pony meeting in just over two weeks.
The two day event will take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 16-17 and while they’re cutting hay and silage on the course now, they are on track for having the venue ready come the Festival.
There will be 16 races over the two days with a ladies/family fun day on the Saturday.
Apart from a much anticipated visit by some of this year’s Roses and the Rose of Tralee, Haley O’Sullivan, one of main attractions at the meeting will be the second running of the Trophy Challenge between Ireland and Great Britain.
TraleeToday.ie visited the old course this week and spoke to Mark O’Sullivan, joint-secretary of the Kerry International Horse and Pony committee.
“The preparations are going very well. We started working on the course in the past two weeks. We powerhosed down all the main stand and cut the grass in front of it for the first time in seven years, we’ve replaced the railings so the whole place is nearly fit for purpose now,” he explained.
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“We’ll have a bar under the main stand set up, the parade ring has been dolled up so to speak and the toilets are ready for use. We’re not using the other stand as the roof has been taken off, so that area will be off limits,” he said.
“Creans of Dingle Brewing Company are our main sponsors so they’ll have their stands set up alongside hot-dog and fast food vans, ice-cream vans and a bouncy castle and children’s entertainment area,” Mark said.
Mark took me on a tour of the vast 110 acre site and it struck me how sad that the venue is only used about twice a year for the Kingdom County Fair and the coursing event in December.
But the workers up there are giving the place a lick of paint and getting the huge stables area ready for the horses.
“It’s taken a lot of work over the last seven or eight months to get everything organised for this meeting. We have all the races sponsored at this stage. It’ll be a great two days of racing and it’s at meetings like this that many of the top jockeys get started.”
Some of the most famous names in the sport have raced around the Ballybeggan circuit including Adrian Maguire, Norman Williamson, Barry Geraghty and Bryan Cooper over fences and Richard Hughes, Pat Smullen, Jamie Spencer and MJ Kinane on the flat.
“We’ve a lot of English people coming over for it and accommodation is sold out in Tralee. Many people coming for the meeting are staying in Castleisland. The town is looking great at the moment as well, so everything is coming together,” said Mark.
Colm O’Connor, Chairperson of the Kerry International Horse and Pony Committee was also looking forward to the event as he worked out on the course
“It’s going good now. Everybody’s putting the work in. The people of Tralee have been great with all the sponsorship and support so there’s great momentum building. We’ll be ready,” he said.
For more information click here for the Kerry International Horse And Pony Racing Facebook page.
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Tom Healy adding a lick of paint to a gate at Ballybeggan on Tuesday. Photo by Dermot Crean
The team at Ballybeggan working on the course on Tuesday. Back from left; Colm O’Connor, Willie O’Donovan, John Rayel and John O’Callaghan. In front; David Keane and Mark O’Sullivan. Photo by Dermot Crean
The parade ring which has been cut in time for the meeting in August. Photo by Dermot Crean
The grass has been cut and the flowers in bloom just inside the entrance to Ballybeggan on Tuesday. Photo by Dermot Crean
The course at Ballybeggan which is being readied for racing this August. Photo by Dermot Crean
