Ginny Elliot to coach Ireland’s eventing team for Olympic Games

Ginny Elliot has been appointed high performance manager for the Irish eventing team.

“I’m absolutely delighted and really looking forward to it,” Ginny told H&H. “I very much enjoy working with up-and-coming riders, and like to do anything I can to help the sport in general.”

Ginny added: “I’m very pleased to be giving something back to the sport.”

Former British event rider Ginny Elliot (formerly Leng) won four Olympic medals, three European Championships, a World Championship, five Burghleys and three Badminton Horse Trials.

Ginny has been training young and up-and-coming British riders in Britain, and has experience of coaching the Italian and Portugese eventing teams.

Ginny takes up the role of high performance manager following the resignation last August of Sweden’s Lars Christensson.

Mr Christensson cited “personal reasons” to H&H at the time of his resignation, which coincided with the decision not to take a full eventing team to last autumn’s European Championships, and a yet another turbulent patch for Ireland’s equestrian teams.

Preparing to start her new role on 7 March, Ginny told H&H today that she hasn’t yet had a chance to talk about Olympic plans and qualifications or to speak to any of the riders individually.

“I was only told about this yesterday [Monday 11 February] — so I can’t talk about details,” said Ginny, who has signed a two-year contract with the sport’s governing body, Horse Sport Ireland (HSI).

HSI chief executive Damian McDonald said he was delighted Ginny was taking up the role.

He added: “Ginny Elliot has an outstanding record in the sport, and will be provided with strong administrative back-up from within HIS to allow her to focus on working directly with Ireland’s senior and developmental level eventing squads.”

For more information about Irish team plans and prospects see Horse & Hound on 21 February.

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