It takes a special horse to adapt to a new rider and perform at the highest level for more than one pilot, and JL Dublin has proved he is such a horse.
The dark brown gelding by Diarado started his career with Nicola Wilson, who chose the Holsteiner at the sales in Germany for his owners, Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston.
“We went over and tried him and I thought he was very nicely put together and he has a lovely eye,” said Nicola in an interview in 2021. “He has a lovely technique over a fence and looked a fun horse.
“Since working with him as a young horse, I sensed that he was a star in the making. But he was quite bullish, boisterous and very cheeky until he got to this level of training, when he’s really started to knuckle down and focus and use that energy in a positive way rather than against me.”
“Dubs” was successful coming through the grades, including finishing fifth in the young horse World Championships at Le Lion as a seven-year-old. But he really sprang to prominence when he won the CCI4*-L at Bicton Horse Trials – the Bramham Horse Trials replacement fixture – in 2021.
Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin win the CCI4*-L at Bicton in 2021. Picture by Peter Nixon
In the autumn that year, the then-10-year-old JL Dublin and Nicola were selected for the British team for the eventing European Championships in Avenches, Switzerland.
There, they performed superbly to finish on their third-placed dressage score of 20.9 and claim the individual gold, leading Britain to team gold too.
Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin at the 2021 European Championships. Picture by Peter Nixon
“He missed half a year when I had my neck injury in 2019 and then there’s been Covid, so he’s relatively inexperienced, but even though he’s not been on the competition field, he’s still trained. The quiet time during Covid was a positive for him, letting him become stronger and more established in his mind,” said Nicola after their dressage test in Avenches.
After winning, she added: “I couldn’t be prouder of him. I feel very lucky to have him for such loyal owners and to be able to build that partnership and trust between us.”
The pair appeared to have a bright future, but disaster struck at Badminton Horse Trials the following year, when they fell towards the end of the course. Nicola sustained serious injuries which ended her eventing career.
The ride on JL Dublin went to British Olympic double medallist Tom McEwen, who quietly set about establishing a partnership with him. The pair finished the year with second in the crack CCI4*-L at Boekelo in the Netherlands.
The following year was a rollercoaster one for Tom and Dubs. They started out with a brilliant second place in the CCI5* at Kentucky Three-Day Event.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin at Kentucky 2023. Picture by Amy Dragoo
“I’m riding on the wave of Nicola’s training and everything she’s done before,” Tom said at the start of Kentucky week. “Dubs is the whole package and to be able to be passed on the reins after the amazing job Nicola has done is incredible.”
After cross-country, he added: “He’s a phenomenal horse. Considering this is only my sixth run on him – and four of those were nice open intermediates – it’s huge credit to Nicola and everything she’s done that I can hop on and get round a true five-star course that has plenty of challenges.”
The pair’s next big run was in the big CCI4*-S at Aachen in July. They set out across country in the lead, last to go in this reverse-order showdown, but a run-out put paid to a top placing.
“We had just two seconds of mistake which cost us a great deal today,” said Tom. “He was up on the time, he was flying and magnificent, and we’ve learnt a lot which is why we came here. Now it’s on to the next.”
And next was the European Championships in Haras du Pin, France. But that didn’t quite work out either, when the pair were third after dressage, but JL Dublin unseated Tom at the shoulder brush out of a water complex.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin at the 2023 European Championships. Picture by Peter Nixon
They headed back to France for the CCI5*-L in Pau Horse Trials to round off their year and made amends for Haras du Pin with third place there.
“We came to do what we needed to do, and he’s been fantastic. We’re looking forward to next year with him,” said Tom.
Paris 2024 will no doubt be on Tom’s mind as he prepares for this season – an Olympic medal would be an emotional result for all involved with JL Dublin.
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