On July 30, 2026, Irish Post issued a series of postage stamps commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Army Equitation School and the Aga Khan.

Army Equitation School

The Army Equitation School was founded in Dublin in 1926. Its key objectives were to train army riders and represent the country on the international sporting stage. The school also aimed to showcase and promote the Irish sport horse breed.

The Army Equitation School holds a special place in the history of Irish equestrianism. For decades, its riders have competed at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, Nations Cups, and other major international competitions. Moreover, the school strictly uses only Irish-bred horses, turning its competitions into a showcase of Irish equestrianism.

Aga Khan 

The second anniversary is associated with the Aga Khan Trophy. Also in 1926, the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) decided to organize and hold a major international equestrian tournament annually in Ireland, known as the Nations Cup. The competition was held in Dublin as part of the famous Dublin Horse Show.

The highlight of the team show jumping competition was the Aga Khan Trophy. It received its unusual name because the prize—a magnificent silver cup—was donated to the organizers by Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah, Aga Khan III. Aga Khan III (1877–1957) was the Imam of the Nizari Ismaili sect and a major public and political figure in India and Pakistan. But the Aga Khan was also a passionate lover of horses and equestrian sports. He owned a stud farm in County Curragh, Ireland, and racing stables and was a prominent figure in the world of British equestrian sport.

The Aga Khan Trophy is a challenge cup, but the competition stipulates that if the same team wins the Aga Khan Trophy three years in a row, they will retain the cup forever. Over the past century, teams have won the cup five times. Switzerland won its first in 1930; Ireland won two in 1937 and 1979; and Great Britain won two in 1953 and 1975. Since then, Aga Khan III and then his successor, Aga Khan IV, have presented the competition organizers with a new cup. The current trophy is the sixth in a row, and it has been changing hands since 1980.

The Dublin Nations Cup has become one of the most important events on the Irish equestrian calendar. For generations of Irish riders, winning the Aga Khan Trophy has been a dream and a special achievement, as the competition takes place in the country's premier equestrian arena.

Irish Horses Leap on Postage Stamps

It's wonderful that Irish Post has decided to celebrate these two anniversaries with a beautiful series of postage stamps. The design was entrusted to the Dublin-based design studio Red&Grey, with whom Irish Post has collaborated for over 20 years.

The studio's designers have created a vibrant and expressive series consisting of two stamps and a souvenir sheet. The stamps feature a dynamic composition: the horse and rider literally leap beyond the colored stamps. The entire composition is built around the movement, power, and precision of the horse's leap. A very unusual design solution was applied to the souvenir sheet—the stamp appears to be an extension of a real photograph, superimposed with a perforated frame. The vibrant background of the stamps and sheet—green and orange, the colors of the Irish national flag—adds additional color to the series and adds to the national identity.

Official An Post materials do not directly indicate who is depicted on the stamps. However, there's a post on the post office's official Facebook page that sheds some light on this mystery. So, meet the main characters of this issue.

Commandant Geoff Curran on the Irish mare DHF Alliance

The postage stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Army Equitation School features Commandant Geoff Curran, an Irish Army officer and Chief Riding Officer at the Army Equitation School. He was born in 1980 in County Waterford and entered the cadet school in 1999, dedicating his life to military service and equestrian sports. Geoff Curran represented Ireland at the 2008 Olympics, competed in the 2010 and 2014 World Equestrian Games, became the Irish Show Jumping Champion in 2020, and won the Nations Cup in Bratislava with the Irish team in 2023.

Further research revealed the photograph that served as the inspiration for the postage stamp. The photograph was taken in the fall of 2024 in Spain during the international show jumping competition in Valencia. Geoff Curran, riding his horse DHF Allianc, won gold in the CSI 3 Moura Tour.

Nicola Fitzgibbon on the Irish gelding Puissance

The postage stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Aga Khan Cup features Nicola Fitzgibbon, an Irish show jumper, trainer, and sport horse specialist. Nicola has been involved in equestrian sports since childhood, successfully completing all age categories, from children's pony competitions to international adult tournaments. Nicola has represented Ireland four times at the European Championships and competed in Nations Cup competitions in Europe and North America. Today, she trains young sport horses and coaches at her facility, Langara Stables, in County Kildare.

In 2011, at the age of 23, she was named to the Irish team for the Aga Khan Trophy in Dublin and, with Puissance, helped the team take second place.

The postage stamp was inspired by a photograph of Nicola Fitzgibbon on Puissance taken on August 5, 2011, during the Ana Khan Cup race at the Dublin Horse Show at the RDS in Ballsbridge, Dublin. The photograph was taken by Ray McManus of SPORTSFILE. The same photograph was used to create the miniature sheet.

Stamp Presentation

The postage stamp presentation took place at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) in Dublin. The highlight of the event was the participation of the riders and horses depicted on the stamps: Geoff Curran and Nicola Fitzgibbon.

The RDS exemplifies the skill, tradition, and international prestige of Irish equestrian sport at the annual Dublin Horse Show. The release of postage stamps commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Irish Army Riding School and the Aga Khan Cup is intended to highlight their uniqueness and significance to national equestrian sport. It also serves as a reminder of the skill and determination of Irish athletes, as well as the traditions of Irish horse breeding.

In anticipation of the Dublin Horse Show at the RDS, which will take place on August 7, 2026, this series of postage stamps is a wonderful gift for all equestrian enthusiasts and horse lovers.

Technical Specifications
Technical specifications of the issue can be found in the Catalogue.

Sources:
Official information about the stamps:
An Post — official publications about the issue, posts on the official Facebook page. www.anpost.com
Additional information:
Army Equitation School: Department of Defence Ireland — Centenary of the Army Equitation School
Aga Khan Cup: Official website www.agakhanstuds.com, The Irish Field - The origins of the Aga Khan Trophy, Irish Times - The 150th Dublin Horse Show: a legacy of Irish equestrian excellence
Athlete information: Commandant Geoff Curran: FEI, Olympics Ireland - Geoff Curran biography. Nicola Fitzgibbon: FEI, Langara Stables - biography
Photos: sportsfile.com, Dublin Gazette, MAXWELLS PHOTOGRAPHY.