Willie Leahy - The Connemara Trail

---

'Willie Leahy - The Connemara Trail'

Willie Leahy was born on the 1st of May 1937. At the young age of 10 he bought his first horse - from there a life long obsession with horses started. From that day he never returned to school and life tought him everything he needed to know.

When he eventually sold this horse he used the money to buy two new horses and so on, until he had a good few in order to establish his riding business. He did the same when it came to purchasing land and soon became one of the land richest people around Loughrea in County Galway, Ireland. He hired his horses out for customers to go fox hunting during the winter month, which has a long culture in Ireland. At the same time he competed in show jumping competitions and point to point races, of which he won several. However one sunny morning in May 1969, Willie had the idea that there must be people out there who would want to ride in summer time, without going fox hunting. So the idea for the first trail ride in the World was born - The Connemara Trail. Willie got in contact with the Irish Tourist board and soon he had his first group of 20 riders from France. Since this time Willie runs his trails in Connemara week after week, from May through September every year. In 2019 the Connemara Trail will have it's 50th anniversary. Customers from all over the world enjoy the trails ever since, some of them returning year after year. The Connemara trail even got a two pages mention in the New York times in the 1980's, at a time where there was not internet or google.

In 1998 Willie purchased Dartfield estate near Loughrea. He restored the derelict buildings and turned the 350 acre estate into Dartfield Horse Museum and Equestrian Center. His aim was to make sure that the history of Ireland and it's horses won't be forgotten. Customers can enjoy cross country rides, visit the Museum, Cafe and Tack Shop. The Museum features the Irish Horse and its contribution to the Irish society and history. In 2004 Willie Leahys work was honored by being nominated for the Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Willie is still leading the trails through Connemara himself week after week ever since 1969.

External links

• New York Times from 1984
• Noel Mullins / Horse tales & Hunt talk (book)
• www.dartfield.com
• www.connemara-trails.com

This article "Willie Leahy - The Connemara Trail" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Willie Leahy - The Connemara Trail. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

---