National enterprise award for Oldcastle students

Enterprising students at St Oliver's Post Primary in Oldcastle have won a major award for their business AMOR stirrup guide.
The first year students designed a metal frame that is attached to the stirrup of a horse to help new riders position their feet correctly.

 

The students involved-Mary Freeman, Emily Finegan, Ava Cadden and Kate O’Reilly-were the overall winners of the Junior Category in the national finals of the Student Enterprise Awards, which took place in Croke Park last week. Their teachers were Ciara McConnell and Ronan Baxter.

Business teacher Ciara McConnell, said: “When riding a horse you must have your feet in a certain position to increase balance so there is a reduced risk of you falling off the horse and obtaining serious injuries. As easy as this sounds, many young or inexperienced riders have trouble addressing this”.

“Our solution is an attachable specially modified stirrup tread that can be put on and taken off any normal stirrup. This cradles the foot into the correct position and is easy to take your foot in and out of. Our product uses muscle memory to help keep the foot in the same position and eventually allowing you to position your foot properly without much conscious effort.”
Out of 22,000 students who entered the competition throughout the country, AMOR’s business was the most successful which is a great achievement for them and also the school.