Meet the Mayo woman at the centre of the Dublin Horse Show
Fiona Sheridan, from Ballinrobe, will play a pivotal role at the show-jumping event in the RDS this weekend
One Mayo woman will be at the centre of one of the biggest events in the Irish sporting calendar this weekend, as crowds descend on the RDS for the Dublin Horse Show.
In total, 1,600 horses will be competing for their share of the €1.4 million on offer.
Ensuring that everything runs smoothly in an event of this magnitude is no mean feat, but Ballinrobe native Fiona Sheridan is well able to step up to the plate.
Sheridan has had big shoes to fill since taking on the role of Show Director in April of this year, after the departure of Pat Hanly, after spending 27 years at the helm. She is also the first woman to take on the job.
However, she has been thriving in the role, having previously been the Equestrian Manager in the Ballsbridge venue.
In conversation with the Irish Times, Sheridan spoke on her upbringing around horses on the banks of the River Robe.
“I’m from near Ballinrobe in Co Mayo, and I grew up with horses,” she stated. “We had mares and stallions at home, and I had ponies and showjumped from a young age.