TRI Team enjoying the RDS: Boots, Brands, and the Buzz of 150 Years
It was late on day four of the Dublin Horse Show’s 150th anniversary, and in the thick of it all, the TRI Equestrian team is holding court, chatting to us for the third year running. I’m sitting down with Gail, manager of one of the busiest stores in the country, and Maeve, a part-time sales assistant from the northern branch of TRI. Muireann is moving around us, snapping photos, while customers and onlookers drift in and out of the frame.
Gail has barely a moment to catch her breath, but she’s smiling.
“It’s great to be up here. It’s really busy. We had a massive restock last night and have been getting it all out this morning—so all set to go again.”
Maeve, equally upbeat, jumps in.
“It’s so exciting. It’s flat out. Non-stop—always fixing things and putting stock out. It’s constant.”
The footfall here is heavy, and they’ve come prepared. This week’s biggest offers are on their own brands Tesoro and Turfmaster—alongside a wide range of competition wear, casual wear, and the perennial favourite: boots.
“A lot of people come to the shop just to get their boots,” Gail says. “Especially the arenas—but we’ve got our new Futuro boot too, which we’ve launched recently, and there’s a lot of interest.”
The RDS crowd is a mix of every equestrian discipline—show jumping, eventing, dressage to name a few - and TRI caters to them all.
“Everybody comes to us for whatever they need,” Maeve says. “We get customers from every aspect. Even people you haven’t seen for years turn up here, restocking for the season ahead.”
For Gail, one of the best parts is the reunion of customers from both north and south. Staff from The Curragh and Northern Ireland stores work side-by-side here, meeting familiar faces from across the country.
“You never know who you’ll see,” she says. “Quite a few familiar faces for most of the staff.”
When asked about her favourite product, Gail doesn’t hesitate.
“The polo I’m wearing—it started at €15.”
Maeve’s pick is simple:
“The arenas. They just sell so well. And the TRI Gilets are flying too—you could see the baseball hats everywhere when we were watching the Aga Khan yesterday.”
But it’s not just about the products. There’s a sense of shared history at this year’s show. For Gail, a standout memory was seeing Douvan, the racehorse she cared for during his career, make an appearance here with Clare Ricketts.
“He’s an absolute dude. To see him here a couple of years ago—it was special.”
For Maeve, the magic is in the work itself.
“Most years I’m working, so I don’t get to see too many of the big moments. But honestly? Working the shop every year—that’s what gives me the buzz. I love it.”
The RDS has been drawing equestrian crowds for a century and a half, but for the TRI team, the pull is the same every summer: the people, the pace, and the chance to be at the heart of it all.
