Weekend Away

Hi everyone,
The best thing about the thoroughbred industry is that you are constantly being given opportunities to meet people from all over the world. Any time you meet someone you may be giving yourself a stepping stone to a different state, country or hemisphere! Having done plenty of sales over the past few years I have worked with people from many different countries. One such person I met on my travels is a fanastic Irish girl called Eve. Eve worked the Swettenham dispersal sales in 2008, so we worked, lived and partied together on the Gold Coast and Coogee Bay, Sydney for nearly 2 months. Before leaving for Ireland I got in contact with Eve, to let her know I was on my to Ireland, and that we should try catch up. Having gone out for a few dinners and drinks, Eve invited me to spend the May Bank Holiday weekend at her place on the west side of County Kildare.
I had the best weekend since I have been here. We went riding on all 3 days, and went out to a small hunting field and jumped the jumps. On our 2 hour road rides we passed what seemed to be at least 30 mansions! Complete with the massive front gates! We went to some amazing little restaurants and ate the best food i have tasted since being here, fresh healthy irish food! We visited Arthur Guiness' grave and drove around the Wicklow mountains which were beautiful. As the Punchestown race course was not in use we went for a walk around the national hunt course, where I had been the week previously to see just how big the jumps were. Up to my shoulder, and so wide!!!!! Went on lots of mini drives to see some of the countryside. All in all, it was a great weekend and I am so grateful for the chance to see some country that I may not have seen otherwise!
Looking forward to Friday afternoon, all the students plus a few of the foreman are being taken to Charlie O'Neils, where we are all going riding around the cross country course on the ponies! We are also going clay pidgeon shooting and archery, followed by a BBQ and drinks. Will be lots of fun!!
Suddenly we are left with less than a month til gradutation, with exams between now and then! Everyone is starting to get stuck into the study, and we have a few assignments on the go, such as foaling projects, nutrition projects, teasing projects etc etc.
Hope the weather is still warm,
Courtney