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Irish showjumping team confirmed – and strong contenders for World Championships medals

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:09:30 +0000

The Irish showjumping team for the World Championships next month boasts “proven championship and Olympic experience as well as outstanding recent form”.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) high performance jumping manager Jessica Kürten has confirmed the horses and riders who will be travelling to Aachen “aiming to build on a successful season on the international stage”.

Ireland finished a whisker off the team podium at last year’s European Championships, and the 2022 worlds, but won silver in Milan at the 2023 Europeans, and this team includes riders and horses from these recent successes.

The Irish showjumping team World Championships:

Bertram Allen and Qonquest De Rigo were on the European team that finished fourth last year – and second at the LLN final shortly afterwards – and they go to Aachen on good recent form. Their 2026 started with good results at four- and five-star level in the US and has continued in the same vein, including a double jumping clear in the CSI5* La Baule Nations Cup and fifth place in the Rolex grand prix that weekend.

Darragh Kenny said after he and Eddy Blue won the London World Cup leg in 2024 that this may be one of the best horses he’s ridden. He proved why, as they went on to be on the fourth-placed team at the Europeans the next summer, and have since won and been placed at four-and five-star level including a CSI5* US grand prix in March.

Team stalwart Cian O’Connor is selected with relatively new ride Chatolinue PS; he took the reins last October, but they finished on a CSI5* podium in Geneva, and in the London World Cup leg, two months later. They have jumped on five-star Nations Cups this year, including a double clear in the US, and finished fourth in the La Baule grand prix.

Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz were on the Irish team that won European silver in 2023, and they are selected for Aachen straight after Shane’s first five-star win, in the Falsterbo grand prix last weekend. They had been knocking at the door for months though, securing second and third places at this level, jumped LLN double clear and finishing seventh in the Aachen grand prix.

Travelling reserves

The travelling reserves are Denis Lynch and British-bred Vistogrand, who were also on the European team last year, having represented Ireland as individuals in 2023. The powerful stallion’s early promise has developed into a top talent showing consistent form at the top level. Recent results include top-10 finishes at CSI5* level in Rome.

Daniel Coyle with Gisbourne VDL and Jordan Coyle with Chaccolino are the non-travelling reserves.

“The selected squad heads to Aachen on the back of an outstanding run of performances at the highest level of international jumping,” an HSI spokesperson said. “The reserve combinations further underline the current depth in Irish jumping.”

Jessica said this is a strong Irish showjumping team that will be leading contenders at the World Championships.

“I’m excited to go to Aachen with outstanding riders and fantastic horses,” she said. “My thanks go to their owners and their grooms, who have put so much work into this journey to the championships.”

The Irish showjumping team for the World Championships:

Bertram Allen with 10-year-old gelding Qonquest De Rigo

Owner: Aloha Stables

Breeder: U Goossens

Breeding: by Fantomas De Muze, out of a mare by VDL Indoctro

Groom: Lovisa Munter

Darragh Kenny with 14-year-old gelding Eddy Blue

Owner: Carol Sollak

Breeder: Gestut Lewitz

Breeding: by Eldorado VD Zeshoek TN, out of a mare by Chacco-Blue

Groom: Shauna Murray

Cian O’Connor with 13-year-old gelding Chatolinue PS

Owner: Karlswood Partners

Breeder: Gestut Lewitz

Breeding: by Diablo Blanco, out of a mare by Stakkatol

Groom: Johanna Berg

Shane Sweetnam with 13-year-old James Kann Cruz

Owner: Gizmo Partners

Breeder: Patrick Connolly

Breeding: by Kannan, out of a mare by Cruising

Groom: Maria Israelsson

Travelling reserve

Denis Lynch with 13-year-old stallion Vistogrand

Owners: Tipperary’s Finest Est and rider

Breeder: Carron Nicol

Breeding: by Fantaland, out of a mare by Vistoland

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The type of round riders dream of: Britain just pipped in superb London World Cup

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 18:28:19 +0000

“In a jump-off like that, you listen to the horse and he tells you what’s possible.”

Max Kühner became only the second Austrian to win the London International Horse Show World Cup leg, and the first since 1989, when he and the spectacular Cooley Jump The Q triumphed over Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette in a superb jump-off.

Second of five to go, Max and the 12-year-old he owns with Remo Baleri had one of the rounds riders dream of; everything coming as and when expected, every stride where it should be, and their names in the history books.

“It was a really good feeling today; it’s one of the few days we have in our careers when we’re so happy and proud,” Max said. “In a jump-off like that, you listen to the horse and they tell you what’s possible and what’s going on, and today we had very clear communication. I could really feel him telling me what to do and asking which kind of support, and it was a very smooth and good feeling.”

The course had proved tough, testing and technical, the faults coming throughout, as is expected in a World Cup leg. There were some bogey fences; the airy verticals at nine and four, each on a related distance from an oxer, caught plenty out, as did the triple combination, which had two one-stride distances.

But time penalties also played a part; Ben Maher (Enjeu De Grisien) was among five riders for whom time wouldn’t wait, and there were others who surely would have been clear had they not pushed to cross the line within the 73 seconds allowed.

So of 37 starters, only five contested the jump-off, and first in was Donald Whitaker and his fabulous European team silver medal-winning mare, who was flying from the start, spot-on for all the turns and showing her ground-covering stride to finish in 35.52sec.

Second place. Donald Whitaker (GBR) and Millfield Colette in The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup, presented by Agria at The London International Horse Show, Excel London, London, UK. December 21st 2025 (Image credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves)

The crowd gave a huge cheer, but Max and 12-year-old Cooley Jump The Q had something to say about the situation. The little Irish-bred gelding turned a shade tighter at every ask, adjusting and accelerating to cross the line a second and a half ahead.

Next in, Cian O’Connor, who has only been riding Chatolinue PS for a couple of months, elected not to ask the big questions too soon, and settled for a stylish clear a couple of seconds slower than Donald, for third place.

Robert Whitaker and his ultra-consistent star ride Vermento came in next, setting the surface on fire as they came flying to the last line ahead of Max but agonisingly clipped the penultimate fence for fourth place. And when last-in Penelope Leprevost and Baloubet de Talma also faulted, the title was heading to Austria, and Max to the top of the western European World Cup league.

“The World Cup wasn’t really my plan for this season,” Max said. “I haven’t done many legs, but I always get some points, so maybe I’ll have to review the plan now!

“For me, today was a good jump-off. I know Donald and his horse, and I know they’re very fast. And there wasn’t really one place where I could save time, but it all came in front of me very, very fluently, and Cooley was really with me.”

Max added that he has been riding Cooley – named because his owner jumped the queue of people wanting to buy him as a three-year-old – since he was six, so they have had time to build their partnership.

“When we saw him, we said ‘Okay, we need that horse’,” he said. “It took a while till we could make it happen but we’ve known since he was six years old that he’s a big talent.

“He has a lot of blood, and it doesn’t take a lot to make him very nervous – sometimes a fly is enough – but today he was really with me, and I could use all his big potential.”

Winner. Max Kühner (AUT) and EIC Cooley Jump the Q in The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup, presented by Agria at The London International Horse Show, Excel London, London, UK. December 21st 2025 (Image credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves)

Donald said that of course he would rather have had the win, but “I’m taking second place all day”.

“The World Cup at Olympia is a class I’ve always wanted to win, so it’s devastating but at the same time, amazing and I’m over the moon to come second,” he said.

“We’ve had an unbelievable year; she’s fantastic and has given me absolutely everything. I can’t be disappointed with second because she was amazing and tried her heart out, like she always does. She just gets better and better, every round, and she’s one in a million.

“The best horse in the world, in my mind, and without doubt my horse of a lifetime.”

Cian was delighted with Karlswood Partners’ 12-year-old Diablo Blanco gelding’s third place, after just a couple of shows together.

“The lads were very good and very quick, and I just don’t know him well enough yet,” he said. “When you have a new horse, you don’t want to ask the questions and maybe shock the horse, so that was the kind of round I was hoping for, and then we can build on that.”

Course-designer Alan Wade, who will be building for the 2028 Olympics, said he always builds for the best combinations in the class.

“I thought it was a bit strange there were so many different answers to some of the tests,” he said. “I saw people adding strides in places I didn’t think they would need to, but overall, we got an hour and a half of entertainment in the first round. It was top-level, five-star scores. There was no hiding place, but there were answers to every question.”

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Late shake up for Ireland’s European Showjumping Championships team as Cian O’Connor is replaced

Jennifer Donald — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:17:41 +0000

Ireland has made a late change to its showjumping team for this week’s European Showjumping Championships in A Coruña, Spain (16-20 July).

Olympic and European medallist Cian O’Connor had been named on Michael Blake’s five-man Irish squad for these championships, but it was announced on Friday (10 July) that: “Ireland has made a change in personnel for the FEI Jumping European Championship, with Denis Lynch replacing Cian O’Connor.”

Denis has been selected with the 12-year-old stallion Vistogrand.

Michael Blake told H&H that, “Denis was always going to be the one to come in if someone came out”.

The pair’s second European Showjumping Championships

Denis Lynch and Vistogrand jumped as individuals at the 2023 European Championships in Milan, Italy, and have been core to several other Irish team successes, including winning at the Longines League Of Nations in Abu Dhabi, UAE earlier this year.

“I’m excited to be called up for the European Championship and I thank Michael Blake for giving me the opportunity to link up with the squad in A Coruña,” said Denis. “To represent your country at a major championship like this is up there with the highest honour and we will be going there to do everything we can to try to help the team win a gold medal.”

Ireland’s final four for A Coruña

The four combinations now representing Ireland in the team competition at the FEI Jumping European Championships are:

Bertram Allen with Ballywalter Stables’ Conquest De Rigo
Seamus Hughes Kennedy riding Clare Hughes’ ESI Rocky
Darragh Kenny with Carol Sollak’s Eddy Blue,
Denis Lynch and the Tipperary Finest-owned Vistogrand

Ireland’s fifth squad member is as follows:

Daniel Coyle with Ariel Grange’s Legacy

The European Championships begins on Wednesday (16 July) at 2pm BST with an opening field of 87 competitors in action in the first leg.

To stay up to date with all the news from the European Showjumping Championships as it happens, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website today from just £1 a week. Our reporter Eleanor Jones will be on site throughout

When your whole family visits from Ireland to watch you win in USA: meet a teenage star living the dream

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:51:34 +0000

In this week’s international showjumping news round-up we head to Wellington, Florida, where Irish teenage sensation Tim Brennan has everyone talking. There’s also the latest Nations Cup contest to read about and this week the Longines Global Champions Tour of 2025 kicked off in Qatar, where a whizzy mare stole our hearts for the second year running.

Read on for this week’s international showjumping news and results round-up.

Showjumping news: Irish teenager is living the US dream

Remember the name, because Tim Brennan is a real rising star of the sport. Having jumped with great success on youth teams in recent years, the Kilkenny 19-year-old has made the trip to Florida to contest his first Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). In this season’s prestigious BrainJuice under-25 series, he’s been in flying form and sealed overall victory by landing the penultimate grand prix riding his own Diadema Della Caccia.

“She has the heart of a lion,” Tim said of the Italian-bred Diamant De Semilly mare he’s been riding for five years.

The pair topped a competitive six-way jump-off and were cheered ringside by Tim’s family who were visiting from Ireland.

“She’s deadly careful,” said Tim of the flying grey mare. “She will jump anything for you once you ask her and I just have to be on the ball. She’s taken me all the way up through the ranks in Ireland and now we’re lucky enough to bring her out [to Florida].

“I was always thinking about coming out here; it’s a great experience to get more mileage under my belt. I’m looking forward to carrying this experience home, hopefully for a good year.”

“A good grey mare will try for you”: Tim Brennan and Diadema Della Caccia winning the BrainJuice under-25 semi-final grand prix at WEF. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Tim is based with John Roche while in the US, who credited his teenage pupil for having “a good eye, a good feel and a strong bond with Diadema Della Caccia”.

“A good grey mare will try for you. He gets on very well with her,” said John, who also credited Tim’s groom Juan Luis “Guicho” Rebollo for his help. “This series brings great development. For juniors or amateurs, it gives great opportunities for team involvement, and there’s no one route to success. I can’t say enough positive things about the division.”

BrainJuice Under 25 Semi-Final Grand Prix results

Nations Cup serves up team thriller

Nine teams came forward for Saturday’s $150,000 CSIO4* Nations Cup at Wellington International’s WEF and it was won by the all-female US team of Natalie Dean (Acota M), Carly Anthony with Heavenly W, Charlotte Jacobs riding Playboy JT Z and Laura Kraut with Tres Bien Z, making her 90th Nations Cup appearance for USA.

“When Robert told me who the team was, I was really pumped,” said Laura. “These three amazing riders have been on fire for a while now, not just recently but for years. The way they rode the first round, it was textbook. I think building towards the Los Angeles Olympics we have three exciting young girls here that I think have a strong chance if things go right.”

Senior team debutante Carly Anthony was full of praise for Heavenly W after jumping a double clear.

“We wouldn’t be here without the horses, so I owe everything to Heavenly and to my team that supports me every day to be able to achieve this incredible opportunity and goal,” she said.

Ireland finished seven penalties behind USA for the runner-up spot. Lining up were Michael Duffy (Cantano 32), Bertram Allen riding Qonquest De Rigo, Cian O’Connor with Belvedere and Daniel Coyle on Incredible.

Great Britain’s three-rider team of Jessica Mendoza (In The Air), Charlie Jones (Capitale 6) and Harry Charles riding Casquo Blue finished sixth.

WEF Nations Cup results

Showjumping news: Kimosa returns to the winner’s enclosure

On the CSI2* Andalucia Sunshine Tour, British riders were in flying form. Among the winners was Jodie Hall McAteer and her 15-year-old mare Kimosa Van Het Kritrahof, who landed the 1.45m ranking class, and Chloe Winchester who topped the 1.40m small grand prix riding eight-year-old stallion Toblerone OS.

Andalucia Sunshine Tour results.

Showjumping news: the podium for the Longines Global Champions Tour of Doha, Qatar, topped by Abdel Said of Belgium. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Global Champions Tour kicks off with remarkable double

Finally in this week’s international showjumping news round up, we head to Doha, Qatar, where the opening grand prix of the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) went to Abdel Said with Bonne Amie for the second year running. The Belgian rider finished ahead of Daniel Deusser (Gangster VH Noddevelt), and Saudi contender Abdulrahman Alrajhi claimed his first LGCT podium finish in third on Ventago.

“When I walked the course, I thought ‘Wow’ – you don’t come across courses like this every week,” said Abdel. “I’m incredibly proud of ‘Bonnie’ today.”

Best of the Irish was Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights who jumped clear in round one but tipped the first fence in the jump-off to finish seventh. Great Britain’s Ellen Whitaker (Korlenski) and Scott Brash with recent dual grand prix winner Hello Folie each picked up four faults in round one.

The opening Global Champions League contest went to reigning champions Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames, one of 17 teams in action this year.

LGCT of Doha results
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Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s simply Incredible! Amazing horse takes flight and British rider makes remarkable recovery

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:21:13 +0000

In this week’s international showjumping news round-up, we are in awe of one horse’s sensational leap during the World Cup jump-off in Ocala, Florida, and a British team rider makes a remarkable recovery to represent his country at the opening leg of the CSIO5* Longines League of Nations.

There are also plenty of high jump thrills at the inaugural Hong Kong International. Read on for a round-up of all this week’s international showjumping news and results.

Showjumping news: Incredible takes flight

What a leap! Gravity-defying gelding Incredible is perfectly captured in full flight at the final oxer (main image above) by photographer Shannon Brinkman/FEI. The Ariel Grange-owned Incredible and regular rider Daniel Coyle finished a narrow third in an amazing all-Irish top four after a thrilling finish to the $300,000 Longines FEI World Cup Ocala. The victor was Cian O’Connor riding Bentley De Sury.

“When there’s so many Irish in the jump-off – and I knew they’d go hard – it motivated me to have a proper go,” Cian said. “The Irish are good all over the world. We punch above our weight I suppose for a small nation, but [Irish riders] are horsemen and they want to win. We work together, we discuss the courses together, people are behind the other person doing well and that kind of culture creates a movement where everyone wants to go well.”

Cian O’Connor and Bentley De Sury winning the World Cup of Ocala. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Cian edged out team-mate Shane Sweetnam with James Kann Cruz by just 0.19sec, with Daniel Coyle a mere 0.03sec behind with Incredible, while Cian’s student Tom Wachman, 20, slotted into fourth on Tabasco De Toxandria Z.

Despite his valiant attempt, Daniel Coyle accepted defeat by saying: “If anyone’s going to beat you, it might as well be two Irishmen.

“The plan was to try to do eight strides to the last oxer, but I had emptied the horse and myself and I thought, ‘I will do something I never do’ and I took an extra stride. I said ‘If I’m fast enough, I’m fast enough’ but tonight I wasn’t.”

CSI5*-W Ocala results

At the inaugural Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show, the Great Wall Puissance resulted in a four-way tie between British contenders Will Fletcher (Quintine Van D’Abdijhoeve), Jack Whitaker (Equine America Q Paravatti N) and Paul Gaff (Jaranco VZ) with Norwegian rider Simon Rahbek Yde riding ZB Max-Milan. This pair and Gemma Stevens (Envoy Merelsnest Z) topped the Kowloon Six Bar and Friday’s high jump contest was won outright by Sebastian Hughes with the ever-consistent Colorado Volo.

Denmark took top honours in the Longines grand prix but again it was tight at the top where Zascha Nygaard Lill (Com’On Stanley) beat Scott Brash on Hello Chadora Lady by just 0.03sec.

CSI5* Longines Hong Kong International results

‘A week ago I couldn’t walk’

Next up in this week’s international showjumping news round-up, we head to Abu Dhabi in the UAE for the opening leg of the Longines League of Nations. Ireland won outright with a flawless jumping display but Great Britain’s chef d’equipe Di Lampard was “very positive” about the squad’s sixth-place finish for the season ahead.

Tim Gredley and Imperial HBF were part of Great Britain’s squad, jumping for four faults in each round, but he credited the “brilliant” team physio Jennie Owst when a knee injury meant he could barely walk, let alone ride, in the run-up to the five-star competition.

The British rider had been suffering excruciating pain and inflammation in his knee and had been unable to ride for 10 days prior to the show. But Jennie identified the cause in the bursa region of the kneecap and immediately set to work.

“If it hadn’t been to her, I wouldn’t have been able to ride – she was brilliant,” said Tim. “She fixed me within two days. I only got on Imperial for the first time on Thursday and the knee still isn’t perfect, but it’s been manageable since.

“If it had been anywhere other than Abu Dhabi, I probably would have rung Di and asked her to swap me out, but the way the new League of Nations is run, there aren’t any reserves and Imperial was already out there. So I had to get on the plane and swing the bat, but luckily it all worked out.”

Read the full report from the Abu Dhabi League of Nations in this week’s magazine, in shops Thursday 20 February.

CSIO5* LLN Abu Dhabi results

Sameh El Dahan and WKD Aimez Moi in winning form on the Desert circuit. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Showjumping news: a platinum performance from Sameh El Dahan

Great Britain’s Sameh El Dahan landed the $32,000 Platinum Performance CSI3* 1.45m Classic at the Desert International Horse Park, Thermal, California, with WKD Aimez Moi.

“It was maybe even better for me to go first because then you try everything,” said Sameh of the five-way jump-off. “We’re a very old partnership. We know each other so well, so it was easy for me to just ride my round. Aimez Moi felt amazing.

“She’s always been very consistent and very brave. She tries everything. She’s won so many good things for us. I couldn’t ask for a better partnership.”

At the same show, Irish rider Conor Swail made his ring debut with One Edition, landing the grand prix with what he described as a “fact-finding mission”.

“[The win] was a bit of a surprise really,” he said, having only taken the reins on Vanessa Mannix’s 10-year-old mare while regular rider James Chawke is out injured. “The first day she was a little green. She jumped great yesterday, and I thought, ‘Why not try her today?’”

CSI3* Desert Circuit results
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‘Disappointing, but when you come out with happy, healthy horses, it’s a good day’: Ireland reflects on Olympic showjumping

Jennifer Donald — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:54:40 +0000

The Olympic showjumping team medals at Paris 2024 were decided this afternoon (2 August), with gold won thanks to an epic performance from Great Britain, USA taking the silver medal and host nations France claiming bronze.

But there was “disappointment” for Ireland, who had been in medal contention, but dropped down the rankings to finish in seventh place on a team score of 14.

Pathfinders Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz came to the final fence to the sound of whistles as he looked to be coming very close to the time allowed of 79sec. As he pushed on for home, the front rail of the final oxer fell and they did indeed exceed the time, finishing with five penalties.

Daniel Coyle and Legacy continued their tremendous form with a clear round, but Cian O’Connor and Maurice hit two fences on the home straight, also adding a time-fault, to post nine penalties and sadly drop Ireland out of contention for a place on the podium.

“It was a difficult round, obviously disappointing – we jump all over the world, week in, week out at major shows and between us we haven’t had so many fences down,” said Cian.

“It’s hard – the pinnacle is where we want to go well”

“It’s hard – the pinnacle is where we want to go well and obviously with this new [three-combination] format it’s very different and comes down to the wire with the third-line riders all going in there in the order of scores,” added Cian.

“So we needed a clear there for us to get bronze – that’s how tight it was – and I thought I gave Maurice a good distance into the treble and I gave him nice space. He just spotted the filler and didn’t get much height, and then at the second double, maybe I lost my concentration, but it was too close. But he jumped well and when it comes to these championships if you come out with happy, healthy and sound horses, that’s a good day.

“We came here in our own minds thinking that we could do well and we’ll dust ourselves off and start again.”

After a two-day break, the Olympic showjumping resumes on Monday (5 August) with the individual qualifier, followed by the individual medal decider on Tuesday.

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‘Stay safe and get round in one piece’: it’s job done as Ireland qualifies for Olympic showjumping team final

Jennifer Donald — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 14:58:22 +0000

Ireland has qualified as one of the top 10 teams through to Friday’s medal decider for the Olympic showjumping at Paris 2024.

Pathfinder Shane Sweetnam and the classy grey James Kann Cruz opened proceedings with a four-fault round, just hitting an early rail at the first part of the double.

A foot-perfect clear came next from Ireland’s second line rider and Olympic debutant Daniel Coyle riding uber mare Legacy, who is owned by her rider and Ariel Grange.

Competing at his fourth Olympic Games, anchor rider Cian O’Connor and Maurice then added five penalties to Ireland’s team score as one of several combinations to succumb to the middle element of the triple combination, just adding a time-fault, too.

But a team total of nine secured a sixth place finish for Ireland which put them comfortably through to Friday’s team final, where every nation starts with a clean slate to decide the medals.

“Daniel’s clear was sensational,” said Cian. “That was amazing stuff.”

Olympic showjumping: “It’s so different in the three-man format”

“It’s so different in the three-man format because you’re afraid of things like, you saw Peder Fredricson just nipped out at the wall, or rushing the horse too much,” said Cian, who recently represented Ireland at his 150th Nations Cup. “So as the competition unfolded, we knew we just wanted to be safe and get round in one piece. To finish in the top 10 was the aim of today – whether you’re first or 10th only really determines the order for tomorrow – so because it’s back to a clean slate, we weren’t putting ourselves under too much pressure. We’ll have a good chat tonight and hopefully we can jump a few more clears tomorrow.

“It was a serious course, very well built,” added Cian. “I suppose what’s hard for us is that normally you have that 1.50m speed class on the first day at these championships where you can get your horse going and get them forward, and then you settle them back and jump the Nations Cup. Whereas even though we did a warm-up class yesterday, it’s only six or seven jumps, in an empty stadium, so it’s not the same. So this is really the horses’ first competition in there – it’s very different from other championships and I think that’s hard.

“But all the horses look happy, they look well, and the facilities here are excellent – the warm up arenas, the stables with the air conditioning. It’s a wonderful place for horses.”

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Celebrating 150 (and counting): rider set to reach remarkable Nations Cup milestone at Hickstead

Jennifer Donald — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 09:53:57 +0000

Irish showjumper Cian O’Connor is set to reach a remarkable career milestone at the Agria Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead this afternoon (Friday 26 July).

In the feature showjumping class, the Agria Nations Cup of Great Britain, the much decorated rider will represent Ireland in a Nations Cup competition for the 150th time.

This outstanding sporting achievement comes 25 years after Cian made his Nations Cup debut at the age of 19 and his first top-tier team appearance in the green coat of Ireland came at Hickstead the following year.

“It feels like a full circle moment,” Cian told H&H of his landmark return to the British venue.

“In 1999, I did two Nations Cups – one in Zagreb in Croatia and one in Athens. Then in 2000, I did Helsinki, Drammen and Falsterbo, before my first five-star came at Hickstead in 2000.”

For his 150th Nations Cup appearance at Hickstead on Friday afternoon, Cian will be riding the 10-year-old stallion Fermoy, co-owned with Keira Stoute and Sarah Stoute. But this milestone will be “extra special” as the Dublin native will be riding on Ireland’s showjumping team alongside two of his pupils, Max Wachman with Kilkenny and brother Tom Wachman riding Berlux Z, both of whom were part of Ireland’s gold medal-winning young riders team at the European Championships in the Netherlands last week. Denis Lynch will act as Ireland’s pathfinder in Friday’s Nations Cup riding Vistogrand.

Cian O’Connor: “Great people and horses have crossed my path”

“I’ve been very lucky – not only with the people that have crossed my path but the great horses that have crossed my path, too – and I’ve had fantastic opportunities,” said Cian reflecting on his 150 Nations Cup caps, which include four victories in the Aga Khan Trophy in Dublin, and helping to secure Ireland’s place at the Tokyo Olympics with a high-pressure win at the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona in 2019.

“I think it was a bit easier back in the early days – you jumped nationally, then there wasn’t much choice, your career was in the chef d’equipe’s hands and if you wanted to travel abroad you went on Nations Cups. One year I jumped on 12 Nations Cups, whereas nowadays riders do two, three or four because there are so many other circuits going on.

“So it’s a nice milestone to reach, but things are very different now.”

“I won’t break John Whitaker’s Nations Cup record!”

Twelve months ago at Hickstead, Great Britain’s Olympic legend John Whitaker – who turns 70 next year – sealed his 180th Nations Cup appearance with a British win, but Cian O’Connor said that’s not a record he’ll be chasing.

“I won’t break John’s record, because I’m sure I won’t be riding for as long as him!” said Cian, 44. “But it’s nice to celebrate 150.”

This will be Cian’s first Nations Cup appearance with Fermoy, but the stallion has been jumping well at five-star in recent months, including a win in Ocala, Florida, finishing 10th in the Aachen grand prix and a double clear for sixth in the grand prix of Rotterdam.

“He’s since had a little break, jumped clear in [Thursday’s] 1.50m class and he feels on real form, so I’m looking forward to jumping the Nations Cup with him,” said Cian, who has recently been joined at his Karlswood stables by former leading international rider Cameron Hanley.

“I’m delighted to have Cameron on board – he’s helping me with Max and Tom but also some other students. I try to have the best people around me because as Karlswood has grown and developed, you can’t do it all on your own, so I’m very lucky to have such great people on the ground.”

Cian O’Connor, who won individual bronze at the London 2012 Olympics, has been selected to represent Ireland at his fourth Olympic Games in Paris next week riding another horse co-owned with Keira and Sarah Stoute, the 12-year-old Maurice.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Royal International Horse Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Whitaker takes a brave route, an exciting ‘sassy little’ British prospect and former groom lands five-star grand prix

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 14:00:47 +0000

In this week’s international showjumping news round-up, we celebrate some mighty performances, particularly from cousins William Whitaker and Jack Whitaker, in the opening week of Bolesworth’s new international tour.

But we also look further afield to some notable Nations Cup podium finishes, a five-star win for a former groom ranked 1,813th in the world, and a rider winning a jump-off against herself. Read on for this week’s international showjumping news round-up and results.

Showjumping news: the big guns are out for a Bolesworth thriller

William Whitaker and Chacco’s Lando took full advantage of the slivers of opportunity left for the taking by their rivals to secure a British victory in Bolesworth’s high-class LeMieux CSI2* grand prix during week one of the inaugural Bolesworth International Equestrian Summer Festival presented by Al Shira’aa.

Ireland’s Shane Breen “knew the big guns were coming behind me” – setting the standard by taking the brave man’s route with Cato Boy over Rafael Suarez’s jump-off course. But William was braver – as last to go, he had to be – slicing across the oxer at fence five and delivering an all-round masterclass in jump-off riding to power ahead by 0.6sec.

William Whitaker and Chaccos Lando win the CSI2* LeMieux grand prix. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“I was in the best position to know what everybody else did before I went in. Shane set a really good target – I knew that I had to give everything to try to beat him and luckily it paid off,” said William, of Old Lodge Stud’s talented 11-year-old Chacco-Blue son, who is looked after by Mia Allison and Sophie Price. “He’s a great horse and I feel now each month I get to know him a little bit better and exactly how he needs to be managed so that he jumps his best.”

Britain’s Christopher Smith was the first to come close to runner-up Shane’s impressive time on owner/breeder Nicola Barry’s nine-year-old mare Messarado Blue, and their performance earned them a place on the podium. Don’t miss the full report in this week’s H&H magazine, in shops Thursday 10 June.

Bolesworth results

Rider wins five-star jump-off against herself

In Canada, the CSI5* Spruce Meadows Continental meeting presented by Rolex hosted some of the world’s top riders and Erynn Ballard (main image) took the spotlight when achieving the rare feat of a one-two in Friday’s The Mustangs 1.55m grand prix qualifier.

The Olympic hopeful took top spot with Libido Van’t Hofken in a time of 42.86sec, finishing a fraction slower on the former Ben Maher ride Gakhir in 84.53sec. Her closest challenge came from Great Britain’s Matt Sampson on Daniel.

“My first five-star win [at Thunderbird Show Park last month] was the greatest day of my career so far. But everybody that rides a pony, whether you’re a little girl, a little boy, or a teenager, you do this to go to the Olympics. So certainly it’s in the forefront of my mind and I’ve got the horses to do it, but I still have a lot of work to do,” said Erynn, who could be part of Canada’s first-ever all-female Olympic team in Paris. “I’m always hashtagging ‘girl power’ and I think that it would be a great thing for the younger generation of the sport. But at the end of the day, no matter what, we’re all teammates.”

Matt Sampson had turned the tables the previous day, beating the Canadian to victory in the CSI5* AON Cup with new ride One Whisper.

Spruce Meadows results

Showjumping news: “She’s a proper horse,” says Jack Whitaker

Next in this week’s international showjumping news round-up, we’re back to Bolesworth, where a “sassy little” mare got everyone talking when winning the CSIYH1* Al Shira’aa seven-year-old final. It’s part of this sport’s magic to see a prospective future talent score that first significant win. When that success comes in the hands of one of Britain’s top rising stars, that magic is brushed with an extra sparkle. This year’s final was a real jewellery shop window, headed by the super mare Chique Rv Z in the hands of Britain’s Jack Whitaker, with Ireland’s Shane Breen and Konrad Obolensky a close second.

“We think she’s a proper one,” said Jack, who bought the Cicero Z daughter as a four-year-old with Jake Saywell. “She’s like a rubber ball – a real compact, sassy little mare. I don’t think she knows that she’s small! With her, I have to stick to my own plan, as I can’t just copy the strides that everyone else is doing. But I know that she’s quick and I know she can turn tight.”

Bolesworth results

Cian OConnor and Fancy De Kergane help Ireland with a double clear in the Nations Cup of Roeser, Luxembourg. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Nations Cup thrillers: “I am proud of the team”

At the CSIO3* Longines EEF Nations Cup in Luxembourg, winners Belgium topped the podium on a zero score after a jump-off with Ireland. Great Britain finished in third.

Ireland was represented by brothers Max Wachman (Kilkenny) and Tom Wachman with Cathalina S, Michael Duffy on Clitschko 17 and Cian O’Connor producing a double clear with Fancy De Kergane before felling one pole more than Belgium representative Jeroen Appelen on Monte Blue PS against the clock.

“I suppose you could say that’s one that got away,” said Horse Sport Ireland high performance showjumping director Michael Blake. “The lads jumped great for the most part but one or two little mistakes have ultimately cost us. It is still an excellent result and, of course, congratulations to the Belgium team. When Tom and Cian, our final two riders, jumped their clears under pressure to apply pressure on the Belgians, they didn’t wilt to take us to the jump-off, where they got the job done.

“I am proud of the team. A Nations Cup runner-up finish is never to be sniffed at and it highlights the consistency we have in our programme.”

Third-placed Great Britain also secured a place in the semi-final in Deauville later this month.

“I’m delighted, it’s the first time Britain has qualified for the EEF semi-final in Deauville,” said Great Britain’s chef d’equipe Di Lampard, who led Mark Edwards (Flying Tinker II), Adrian Whiteway (Chacco Volo), Olli Fletcher (Hello William) and Robert Murphy on Kannem JA Z to the podium. “All four riders contributed with clear rounds and this squad is going to the four-star Nations Cup in Sopot, Poland, next week.

“I like the format for the EEF, where all the teams get to compete in the second round – unless they are eliminated in round one – and get to put the wrongs right. It’s in the right spirit and they gain valuable experience, whereas the standalone three-star teams only take the top eight [through to round two]. I’m looking forward to the Deauville semi-final and hopefully, the final in Warsaw.”

Great Britain and Ireland also finished fifth and sixth respectively in the Longines EEF series qualifier in Drammen, Norway, where another jump-off decided victory for Poland over hosts Norway, with Sweden third after torrential rain hit the venue during round two. It was the first time for eight years that Poland has won a Nations Cup. Each of the British quartet jumped a clear – Simon Crippen (Handsome), Leo Lamb on Gmail, Faye Sutton with Spider and Phillip Miller riding Don Royale, who went on to finish third in Sunday’s grand prix.

Showjumping news: Cannes success for Brash and Howley

We continue this week’s showjumping news round-up with the opening day of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Cannes, where Ireland’s Richard Howley and Petitfour VD Wareslage won a 1.45m speed class, toppling long-time leaders Ben Maher and Ginger-Blue.

“Heading in to beat Ben Maher always adds to the pressure,” Richard said. “Obviously he is a world-class rider, so it’s an honour to take the win over him today.”

Great Britain’s Scott Brash and Hello Valentino topped the GCL first qualifier by more than two seconds while Saturday night’s grand prix was won by Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann on the appropriately named Messi Van’t Ruytershof in the city’s football stadium Stade Des Hesperides.

“I had a short second of a moment where I thought ‘now you just drop the rein and go’… and he made it, I am so thankful for this horse – what a horse,” she said.

LGCT Cannes results

A winning week for Amanda Derbyshire

US-based British showjumper Amanda Derbyshire sealed a spectacular week at the Tryon International with victory in the $120,000 CSI3* 1.50m grand prix on Cornwall BH. She topped a four-way jump-off to decide the honours, having also sealed victory with Otto BH in the two-phase.

Tryon International results.

A first ever grand prix success for former groom, ranked 1,813th in the world

A 29-year-old rider from Czechia made history with victory in Spruce Meadows’ five-star grand prix. Vaclav Stanek, who just two years ago was working as a groom at the venue, rode Quintin to an unexpected victory over Matt Sampson and Daniel.

“I didn’t even expect to get a clear round, let alone win my first five-star event,” said the 1,813th ranked Czech showjumper who is a former Rolex Young Riders Academy pupil. “I have watched Spruce Meadows since I was a little kid hoping one day I could ride here, but I would never even dream about winning here. I finally got my cooler in the best way possible.”

Spruce Meadows grand prix results

Kent Farrington of USA wins in La Baule riding Greya. (Image credit: Manue Macker)

“I’m determined every day”: Kent Farrington triumphs in La Baule

Finally in this week’s showjumping news round-up, we celebrate US rider Kent Farrington’s brilliant win in the Rolex grand prix Ville de La Baule riding Greya after an exhilarating 11-way jump-off. The duo delivered the quickest of four double clears, beating fellow American Karl Cook (Caracole De La Roque), and Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet (Bond Jamesbond De Hay) took third.

“I’m determined every day,” said Kent. “Our sport has its ups and downs, because horses are animals with their own rhythm and needs. That’s what makes our sport so beautiful. You go from hero to zero very quickly, and that’s the game. I try to stay focused and not think about what might have happened or what might happen. I hadn’t really looked at Karl’s course, and this allowed me to follow my plan and secure the victory.”

Germany won the show’s CSIO5* Nations Cup and while Great Britain wasn’t involved in the team competition, individual representative at the show Lily Attwood and Karibou Horta won Saturday’s accumulator.

CSIO5* La Baule results

Grand prix jumping stallion sells for €2.3 million at auction to join young rider

Jennifer Donald — Tue, 07 May 2024 16:30:42 +0000

The top lot at this week’s Aloga showjumping horse auction in Belgium was 10-year-old grand prix stallion Dark Chocolate, who was sold for €2.3million (£1,975,000) for a student of Cian O’Connor.

Dark Chocolate (Casall x Acodetto I) has been ridden and produced by Ireland’s Denis Lynch for the past few years, being crowned the leading eight-year-old in the seven- and eight-year-old final at Dublin Horse Show in 2022 before going on to record plenty of good placings at five-star level including the London International, Barcelona, Basel and St Gallen.

The stallion was one of 19 quality showjumpers to go under the hammer on Monday 6 May at the latest Aloga Auction, established by Irish showjumping brothers Bertram Allen and Harry Allen, and fellow showjumper Maxi Lill, held at Sentower Park.

€2.3million horse auction purchase: championship ambitions

Cian O’Connor told H&H that the top lot was bought for one of his European-based students.

“The plan is to develop her to the young rider European Championships this year,” said Cian, who recently had two top horses secured for him thanks to investment by a British buyer as the Paris Olympics approach.

Denis paid tribute to a “class horse”, who he’s enjoyed producing over the past three years.

“One of the early highlights of our time together was jumping clear at Olympia grand prix, which is a really good character test,” he told H&H. “He won the eight-year-old finals at Leipzig World Cup Finals, then we took it easy for a bit before stepping him up and in his first big test he was clear in the World Cup in Madrid. He’s been jumping clears again as a 10-year-old – the whole way through, every time you asked him, he always stepped up.

“His new rider is very talented, she gave him a beautiful trial, the horse loved her and they really clicked together, which is fantastic, so hopefully they’ll go on well together.”

Three lots from Monday’s auction made in excess of €1,000,000 with two other beautifully bred stallions completing the trio. The second highest-priced lot of the night was Ballywalter Stables’ exciting six-year-old stallion Nikora TSH (Aganix Du Seigneur x Unaniem), who has been competed by Harry Allen and went under the hammer for €1.9million, and the nine-year-old stallion Kiritan (Kannan GFE x For Ever Jump) who has been jumping to CSI3* with Maxi Lill and sold for €1.7million.

‘What a day to be Irish’: a momentous team win, but British disappointment

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 11:53:47 +0000

This week’s international showjumping news round-up focuses on a thrilling second leg of the new-look Longines League of Nations (LLN), at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida.

Ireland’s showjumpers are looking stronger than ever this year and an ecstatic quartet were back on top of the world after a dominant performance in a high-calibre contest. There was disappointment for the Brits there, but in Spain, cousins Donald Whitaker and Joe Clayton flew the flag in tremendous style with a grand prix one-two.

Read on for a round-up of this week’s international showjumping news and results.

Showjumping news: ‘What a day to be Irish’

Cian O’Connor proclaimed, “What a day to be Irish” after he helped a competitive Irish side to a momentous win in the second leg of the Longines League of Nations (LLN) series in Florida, USA.

Going one better than Ireland’s runner-up spot in Abu Dhabi last month, Cian joined Darragh Kenny, Daniel Coyle and Shane Sweetnam, with the Irish side dominating from the outset to secure a brilliant victory with a team score of five, ahead of Switzerland who rocketed up the leaderboard in round two with a full house of clears, finishing with eight penalties.

USA and Netherlands had held the lead with Ireland on a zero score after round one but mistakes started to creep in for both teams during the second rounds and they each completed with 12; the USA joined the podium ahead of the Dutch with a marginally quicker time.

In the first round, clears from Darragh on Amsterdam 27), Daniel on Legacy and Shane riding Nations Cup debutant Otis Blue – a late replacement for an injured Bertram Allen – meant that Cian wasn’t required to jump Maurice. But this combination entered the equation under the spotlights in round two on Saturday night as one of the trio picked by chef d’equipe Michael Blake to contest the decider.

With four faults already collected at the midway double by Darragh but with nothing to add from Daniel and Ariel Grange’s mighty mare Legacy, Cian carried the pressure of knowing that a single rail could cost them victory, potentially forcing a jump-off with the USA. But he and the 12-year-old Maurice, recently bought into by Sarah Stoute of Keysoe International, remained foot perfect over the obstacles set by Alan Wade, just adding a time-fault, which would seal a momentous victory for an ecstatic Irish side.

“I’m so proud and honoured to work with these guys and they put in an incredible performance,” said Michael, with Ireland now clear at top of the standings at the halfway point in the LLN series. “The other nine nations – who make up the top 10 in the world rankings – sent their best to Ocala and we saw them off in style. There is no room for error in the League of Nations and my lads showed that they thrive on that pressure.”

Shane Sweetnam and Nations Cup debutant Otis Blue jump clear for Ireland in round one. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

An “over the moon” Cian said: “What a day to be Irish. We’ve been working towards this for some months and I feel privileged to ride alongside these great guys. The team is building great momentum with this win following up our recent win in Wellington [four-star Nations Cup].

“You can only deliver when last to go if the team have done their job, and my job was easy riding with these three guys, they had amazing clear rounds and they set the whole thing up for me!”

Daniel summed up, “I’ve jumped lots of double clears with Legacy before but this is that bit more special. It feels like I’ve been getting Legacy ready for five years for a night like this.”

Otis Blue is new to this level and Shane credited this “very talented horse”.

“We got the job done and got us into a good position for the second round,” he said.

Once again, the rollercoaster of fortunes in this new format team showjumping competition played out in round two, when there is no drop score. A fall from Kevin Staut after a refusal on Beau De Laubry Z resulted in France’s elimination and Belgium plummeted down the leaderboard with a surprise run-out from Niels Bruynseels’ Delux Van T&L. There was also disappointment for reigning Olympic, world and European champions Sweden and Great Britain who failed to qualify for the second round, finishing ninth and 10th respectively from a high-calibre field that featured 16 of the top 20 riders in the world. The series now returns to Europe, with the next leg in St Gallen at the end of May.

Cian O’Connor and Fermoy top the winning round at the World Equestrian Center, Ocala, Florida. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

A winning start for Cian O’Connor

Cian O’Connor had already posted victory in Friday’s Winning Round showjumping class at World Equestrian Center riding Fermoy. Cian and the 10-year-old Chaccos’ Son stallion co-owned with Sarah Stoute of Keysoe International were drawn second in round two, producing a scorching clear which proved unbeatable.

“I picked up a time-fault the first round but as everyone’s going back in for round two on zero, the only disadvantage was being early in the draw,” explained the Irishman. “That worked out OK, because I think a lot of the guys tried to go too quick in the second round. The fences were big enough that they ended up having a rail.”

Maurice, previously ridden by Maurice Tebbel, is “a bit of a character”.

“He’s a very easy horse to ride. He’s very brave, has huge scope, is really careful and fast,” said Cian. “I’ve basically been trying to tame him and work with him over the last five months since I’ve had him. I was happy to have the opportunity to go against the clock and let him travel a little bit, and you can see that he answers the questions and nearly goes a foot higher. I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette win the MET Tour grand prix in Oliva Nova, Spain. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Cousins finish first and second in showjumping grand prix

Finally in this week’s international showjumping news round-up, British showjumper Donald Whitaker (Millfield Colette) pipped his cousin Joe Clayton (Commissaire S) to win the CSI3* 1.50m CHG grand prix to wrap up Spring MET III in Oliva Nova, Spain after a thrilling 10-way jump-off.

“It was a fast jump-off and my cousin Joe was first to go, so he set the pace,” said Donald. “My horse is naturally very fast – a bit too fast at times actually – so I was just trying to half nurse her round a little and then let her go to the last fence. I did one less stride there and I think I won it there. She has such a big stride.”

“She is really special,” he added of the Cornet Obolensky 11-year-old bred in Great Britain by Sue Jagger. “It took a while to figure her out. She has such a big heart, she is so brave and sharp. She has been knocking on the door for something for a while now.”

‘A shared vision’: British owner secures potential Olympic horses for top Irish rider

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 17:27:44 +0000

Two top horses have been secured for Irish international showjumper Cian O’Connor as the Paris Olympics approach, thanks to investment by a British buyer.

Sarah Stoute of Keysoe International has bought into Maurice and Fermoy, for Cian to campaign for Olympic selection and ultimately for Sarah’s daughter Keira to ride in future.

A spokesman for Cian said 12-year-old Maurice and 10-year-old Fermoy have both been in good form, and that Cian had “come under pressure” recently, with people interested in both horses.

“It’s very difficult to turn down such offers,” Cian said. “The Irish team is very strong and so to make Olympic selection having enough horsepower and being match-fit is so important.

“I’ve reached out to friend and client Sarah Stoute of Keysoe International who has decided to invest into the horses with me for the Olympic Games, and ultimately secure them in the future for her daughter Keira.”

Cian has contested three Olympics, winning individual bronze in 2012 with Blue Loyd.

“Together with the Magnier family, Pat Crean and Nikki Walker, I am very fortunate to already have such support and an incredible team of horses currently to ride. Wellington in Florida has gone very well so far with all the horses achieving great results. Now Keysoe International coming on board means I can keep my team of horses together, which hopefully puts me in a stronger position to ultimately support and deliver for Team Ireland.”

Cian paid tribute to the team at his base Karlswood, in Co Meath, Ireland, adding: “One cannot live from past glories and so over the last year I’ve made a serious effort to build a strong team of people and horses around me in order to have myself well mounted and in the best shape possible to achieve success. The Olympics is never a given, it’s a dream and I’m hoping if I have the form that I can be a part of Team Ireland in Paris.”

Ms Stoute’s Keysoe International recently revealed its plans for the future, which include top-class training facilities for riders at all levels, and projects that support the local community.

She said: “We are proud to support Cian by helping him keep Maurice and Fermoy for his Olympic quest and delighted to secure the future rides for Keira. These two great horses will be joining her strong string of horses, particularly our stallions; KI Taj Mahal, KI Checkter and KI Festival Du Banney.

“Myself and my family have been working with Cian and his Karlswood team now for over a year and we are thrilled to be in a position to assist him and he has our full support and backing.

“Working with Cian and the Karlswood team is a real pleasure. We have a shared vision of a strong work ethic, attention to detail and an emphasis on forward planning and aiming high. We hope the new development at the Keysoe Athlete Development Academy is something that everyone can enjoy from all across the world.”

Cian added that Keysoe’s goal is to help Keira develop into a professional showjumper, in which he and his team will support her.

“We have worked with Keira over the past year and she is a very dedicated and talented athlete and we will continue to coach and assist her in achieving her own goals and targets in the sport with the ultimate aim of representing Team GB in the future,” he said.

Rider gives up on dry January after winning back-to-back World Cups and William Funnell’s side wins Nations Cup

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 14:13:31 +0000

Success breeds success, according to the popular sporting hypothesis, and we see it in bucketloads in this week’s international showjumping news round-up.

From Daniel Coyle’s back-to-back World Cup wins with brilliant mare Legacy, to the input of two of Great Britain’s greatest showjumpers Nick Skelton and William Funnell in other riders’ success, there’s been plenty to celebrate in the world of showjumping. Read on for a round-up of this week’s international showjumping news and results.

Showjumping news: back-to-back World Cup success for Coyle and Legacy

Fresh from their World Cup success in Leipzig last weekend, Irish showjumper Daniel Coyle and Ariel Grange’s super 14-year-old mare Legacy triumphed again with another extraordinary performance in a World Cup thriller in Amsterdam. The duo sliced nearly 3sec off the leading time set by Dutch rider Willem Greve on Highway TN NOP to take top spot.

“I’ve been doing dry January, I do it every year, but Ariel Grange said ‘Go and have a few beers’,” Daniel said. “So I had three after last Sunday’s win and I think we might have a few more tonight!”

Daniel explained that commitment and determination have been the key to his success.

“My brother Jordan won everything on ponies and I didn’t win so much, or so it seemed!” he said. “In any sport I suppose you just get stuck in and get on with it or you get left behind and give up. Thankfully it went the right way for me in the end.

“It goes back to riding those ponies at home in Ireland where it’s very competitive. I rode with my brothers and everybody else, even the likes of Richard Howley, who now also has won a few World Cups. I was always chasing those guys. It’s good to see now I can have some revenge and I guess I also had some great horses in my career in the smaller divisions that have taught me how to do jump-offs. If being competitive in a jump-off is all I can give back to Legacy then I’m happy enough with that.”

Daniel Coyle leads the World Cup prizegiving for the second week. (Image credit: FEI)

Daniel has formed a unique partnership with Dolly, as Legacy is known at home, who has now earned a few weeks off in Florida before five-star League Of Nations duty.

“For years, we weren’t really on the same page,” he explained. “She’d jump one fence very high and the next fence I’d ask her to jump – like a plank or something delicate – she’d knock it down and I’d be very confused as to why. But I feel now we are very much on the same page; we have a real understanding.

“We have a huge year ahead with the World Cup Final and the Olympics – and for sure we’ll be looking at both with her – but we have to have a conversation about it all. The main thing is to get her to the Olympic Games like she is right now and try to win a medal! She’s in the prime of her life, she’s got better, she’s got older, and maybe so have I.”

Two qualifying rounds remain in the Western European League series, after which the top 18 riders in the standings will earn a ticket to the World Cup Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in April.

Also enjoying a successful time in Amsterdam, British rider Matt Sampson landed a winning double of five-star speed classes with his London International winner MGH Candy Girl.

Jumping Amsterdam results

At the other end of the scale…

While Daniel Coyle is racking up multiple World Cup successes, amateur Mexican rider Jose Alberto Martinez Vazquez produced a career first World Cup qualifier riding Quinley in Puebla, Mexico.

“Quinley means everything to me. I’ve never had a horse like him before,” he said of the Holsteiner gelding he’s produced for 11 years from a four-year-old and with whom he represented Mexico at the 2022 World Championships. “Going to the last fence, you’re always thinking, ‘Is this enough?’ I had a bit of a miscommunication, but Quinley still went over it. I’m thankful.”

CSI4*-W Puebla results

William Funnell leads UAE to first Nations Cup success, Great Britain third

Weeks after taking the helm as the new UAE chef d’equipe, William Funnell led the squad to a debut Nations Cup success at the CSIO4* Sharjah. Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi on Enjoy De La Mure, Abdullah Mohd Al Marri (BBS McGregor, formerly with Jack Ryan), Ali Hamad Al Kirbi with Jarlin De Torres and Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi (Chacolu) didn’t hit a fence throughout two rounds, accumulating just two discarded time-faults to win on a zero score from Germany with five penalties on the card.

Great Britain finished third on 24 faults, represented by Joe Stockdale (Ebanking), Donald Whitaker on Millfield Colette, Skye Higgin riding Djordania Du Tillard and Jack Whitaker on Equine America Q Paravatti N, with Ireland finishing fifth.

British chef d’equipe Di Lampard said: “To finish on the podium was incredibly pleasing. We had two good results with young horses Ebanking and Djordania, which is encouraging for these partnerships for the future. We need to improve marginally as a team as we look forward to the first Longines League of Nations competition in Abu Dhabi. There was a slight lack of consistency, but we are looking at all the positives of yesterday.”

CSIO4* Sharjah results

Australian showjumper Rowan Willis finds winning form with his home-bred Wellington Grey Goose. Photo by Winslow Photography. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

More showjumping news: home-bred Grey Goose provides just the tonic

In more international showjumping news, Australian showjumper Rowan Willis flew to top spot of the CSI2* $100,000 Lugano Diamonds 1.45m grand prix on the Split Rock Jumping Tour at the TerraNova Equestrian Center in USA riding his home-bred mare Wellington Grey Goose (Corlensky x Grandira).

“Wellington Grey Goose is a real tryer and she’s fast,” said Rowan. ““I’ve done Split Rock shows ever since I came to America, and Derek Braun always puts on great shows. It’s really good for the competitors, has good prize money, and they have a fantastic facility here in Sarasota.”

CSI2* Split Rock Jumping Tour results

Tiffany Foster and Battlecry jump to victory at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo @Sportfot. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

$215,000 grand prix goes to Foster

Canadian showjumper Tiffany Foster won the Winter Equestrian Festival NetJets CSI4* grand prix riding Battlecry, a 10-year-old by Vigo D’Arsouilles x Latano, whom she owns with Artisan Farms and Kent Farrington.

“I’m really happy to finally check this one off,” said Tiffany, who was also awarded as the week’s leading international rider while Battlecry’s groom Kaytlyn Brown earned a $500 prize. “My horse has a bit of a right drift – just like every horse, he goes one way or the other – so, I thought the jump-off was actually going to suit him.”

Luciana Lossio took second for Brazil on Lady Louise Jmen, while the Nick Skelton-trained French rider Nina Mallevaey took third on Cartier SR.

“Nick told me I could have gone faster to the last, but I’m so happy with my horse,” said Nina. “He’s really trying to do everything for me. I’m going to try to have many more podiums like this.”

Great Britain’s Ben Maher took fourth on Faltic HB and Irish showjumper Cian O’Connor slotted into fifth on Maurice for owner Pat Crean.

WEF results

Why Cian O’Connor is working on his team’s horsemanship: ‘There’s an onus on all of us to lead and educate’

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 20 May 2023 17:32:34 +0000

Leading Irish showjumper Cian O’Connor is going back to basics by introducing some natural horsemanship techniques with his horses. He recently utilised some help from renowned horseman Tristan Tucker, who has developed the TRT Method to help teach people “not to control their horses, but to better understand them”.

“I came across Tristan on Instagram and I’m always open to new things and seeing if other people are doing things better than we are,” Cian told H&H. Tristan’s ultimate ambition is to “create a life for horses better than nature intended”.

“One of the biggest things facing the industry is finding good quality staff,” explains Cian. “As the sport has developed at a rate of knots, lots of people are saying the same thing, that they’re worried that good horsemanship will be forgotten about. With that in mind I felt that it would be good for my own staff and for my students to have Tristan come to [my base at] Karlswood and offer another perspective.

“When I started we had fantastic grooms that came through the BHS system and they knew everything about management of horses and feeding, legs and bandaging, colics, all this kind of stuff,” says Cian, who won individual bronze at the 2012 Olympics and at the 2017 European Championships, where he also claimed team gold.

“I just feel now it’s been a bit lost, it’s become a bit of a roadshow with grooms going to shows yet lacking a thorough education – instead they become a bit like celebrity grooms or Instagram grooms. It concerns me that even the perceived good ones lack experience.

“I don’t want my staff to fall into that trap and I must say they were fantastic, they embraced this opportunity to learn other ways. Even simple things like clipping horses, putting them on the cross-ties, out in the field – Tristan offered up new ways to help the horses to trust you, get them to settle; it was good to get us all thinking outside the box.”

A photo posted by on

Tristan, who was born in Australia and rode to grand prix level in dressage, worked with several of the horses at Cian’s Karlswood stables in Co. Meath, Ireland. Cian shared snippets of the experience on Instagram and says he is keen to continue learning more about this horse-first approach to horsemanship.

“We’ve been working with Tristan’s ideas since and we’re going to have a discussion with him about keeping the training up online,” says Cian. “But I think ultimately it’s like having a lesson with a top rider – it’s not going to make you win a competition one weekend. We need to continuously work with him so I’d be very keen to get Tristan over here and do some demonstrations perhaps, then we can open it up to the wider public as well.”

‘The horse just decided he was jumping it’

One of the horses Tristan worked with is Cian’s very exciting new 10-year-old stallion Checkter, who “was a little bit spooky sometimes” at water.

“I explained that to Tristan and you could see how he let him come to the water every time and just have a little sniff, then he walked away and never asked him to jump it, he just led him away and did that two or three times,” explains Cian. “Even the time the horse jumped it, Tristan never encouraged him to do it, the horse just decided he was jumping it and that’s Tristan’s way. His whole philosophy is having the horse working with you rather than asking the horse to do something.”

At one of his next competitive appearances, Checkter came out and won a 1.50m CSI3* class in Saint Tropez.

Tristan also worked with one of Tom Wachman’s horses who wouldn’t stand still while being mounted.

“The first thing Tristan does with the horses is work them in-hand, so not riding them, and it’s all about the horse understanding you as the handler – he’s got your space and you’ve got your space, without pressure, without force. You’re teaching the horse,” explains Cian.

‘This type of horsemanship isn’t new, but people are going to embrace it’

Cian continues: “It’s really interesting and Tristan has built it all up from his mentors and things he’s picked up — this type of horsemanship obviously isn’t something new, but it’s the way forward and something people are going to embrace in the next number of years.

“Social licence is really important — now more than ever there’s an onus on all of us to contribute and look at different ways for the sport not only to serve and provide, but to lead and educate.”

Tristan says of the experience: “It was perhaps the most amazing stable I’ve ever got to witness in my life and a true privilege to work with people who are 110% dedicated to bettering themselves to serve their horses better.”

Cian adds that the experience has really made him think: “Good horsemanship is something we all in the industry should strive to develop further and understand our horses better.

“It’s not something I learnt enough of in those few days so I’m really keen to work with Tristan more and investigate it further. Nowadays there’s a lot of modern techniques and the sport has moved on, but the horse is still the horse and some of these basic skills are being forgotten. Tristan has honed in on them and mastered them, I think we can all benefit from that way of thinking.”

A ‘special’ gelding resumes his winning ways, ‘an adrenaline kick like no other’ and Jack Whitaker scorches to a five-star double

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 15:46:32 +0000

The return of the Longines FEI World Cup jumping series in Europe signals that winter is drawing in, and Jack Whitaker secured a tremendous winning double in the five-star classes at the season opener in Norway. Conversely, it’s still shorts-and-T-shirt weather for those extending the outdoor season on the various jumping tours in Portugal and Spain, where Cian O’Connor and Kilkenny secured a notable grand prix victory.

Here is H&H’s weekly round-up of international action over the past week, plus showjumping results.

Kilkenny shows star quality – and there’s an exciting new ride for O’Connor

The Andalucia October Tour in Spain kicked off with an eye-catching grand prix victory for Irish showjumper Cian O’Connor riding Susan Magnier’s 10-year-old Kilkenny. The pair skipped round the 1.50m track, taking out a stride to the double and executing a superb turnback to the penultimate fence in the jump-off before soaring home clear, more than half a second quicker than nearest rivals Laura Kraut with Baloutinue for USA in an exciting 10-way jump-off.

“Kilkenny is a special horse,” said Cian. “He was clear in the 1.45m here the other day and he was fantastic in the grand prix. He’s not a horse I go terribly competitively on a lot, I keep him for the bigger days.”

Cian said he was “delighted” for Susan Magnier, owner of the Irish-bred son of Cardento 933.

“We put a lot of effort in to have him fit for Dublin, which was very special jumping double clear to help the team secure the win [in the Nations Cup],” Cian told H&H. “Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been busy travelling, selling horses, looking for horses, all sides of the business, so we decided to start him up here again for the winter campaign and he felt great. The difference between good horses and the really special ones is you don’t need to practise, and you don’t need to teach Kilkenny anything – he hasn’t gone against the clock for over a year yet he can just go in and take out a stride and do a turnback like that. It’s funny when you realise just how different he is to most other animals, he has a very special brain.”

“These classes are always competitive, there are no easy wins nowadays, but it’s a beautiful grass arena, the organisers do a very good job here and the fences were very impressive and big enough,” added Cian, pictured below. “It was a good start.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Cian also debuted another new ride for Susan Magnier, the nine-year-old stallion Rock Of Cashel – previously known as Icoon VDL when ridden by Hessel Hoekstra until recently. Cian hopes this classy prospect could be his European Championship ride in 2023.

“He’s a lovely horse, it’s early days and we’ve only done small classes here, but we’re aiming to step him up to the grand prix next week,” said Cian, who was impressed by the son of VDL Bubalu’s recent performances with his previous rider; they finished third in the grand prix of Falsterbo and jumped clear in Rotterdam.

“He’s only nine years old and has all these good results behind him so I thought he was worth looking at. His previous rider Hessel has done a great job and his former owner is in touch, which is nice because if you don’t have all the keys with a new horse, you have to start from scratch, whereas if they help you with the horse, you get the manual with them.”

Suzuki grand prix showjumping results

Nippy mare helps Whitaker to a five-star double

Jack Whitaker and the super mare Scenletha found the winning formula not once, but twice, at the Kingsland Oslo Horse Show in Norway, scorching to victory in Friday’s CSI5* 1.50m speed class and following up in Sunday’s jump-off contest.

“She’s in unbelievable form and it felt like the more we jumped the better she got, she feels tip-top,” said Jack, who beat strong performances from second-placed Daniel Deusser with Kiana Van Het Herdershof and third-placed Lily Attwood (Karibou Horta) in the 45-starter class.

JACK WHITAKER AND Scenletha (Image credit: © KOHS / Roland Thunholm)

In Sunday’s World Cup qualifier, Jack and Equine America Valmy De La Lande finished with four faults.

“We had the second-last fence down, which was just a normal vertical off a corner, so a really soft fence to have down, especially when Valmy is normally an unbelievable vertical jumper,” said Jack. “I was really happy with the way he jumped, so it was disappointing to have that one down – if he jumped it another 100 times I’m sure he wouldn’t have knocked it. But both he and Scenletha are pretty good indoors, so hopefully we’ll have another chance when we go to Helsinki this week.”

Oslo Horse Show results

‘An adrenaline kick like I never experienced in my whole life!’

Following up on his 2019 success, 25-year-old Swiss rider Bryan Balsiger landed the opening leg of the Longines FEI World Cup Western European League in Oslo, Norway, this time riding the exciting mare Dubai Du Bois Pinchet (pictured below).

His victory came after a highly competitive 11-way jump-off, holding off the challenge of second-placed Victoria Gulliksen on Equine America Papa Roach, with jump-off pathfinder Ireland’s Eoin McMahon third riding Ludger Beerbaum’s Chakra.

“Since the beginning of the year, Dubai has been the number one horse in my stable and we’ve been having good results together,” said Bryan. “I knew we could do more and I was waiting for a big win, so I’m over the moon with her! She has a lot of temperament but I know her well and she gives me everything – and more.

Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/20223Western European League - Oslo (NOR).Bryan Balsiger, SUI and Dubai du Bois Pinchet won the FEI World Cup inOslo,here over the Longines fens.Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League - Oslo (NOR) (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“When we plan go to a World Cup qualifier, I always have my horses ready because it is a big opportunity to ride for your country at this level and I just want to do my best,” he said. “I needed luck today, but after three years you know how difficult it is to win at World Cup shows. It doesn’t happen every weekend and it’s a brilliant achievement that can only happen with the help of my great horse and all of my team, my sponsor and trainer and my groom – I am so grateful to them all for believing in me and my horses.”

This year’s demanding track in the compact Telenor Arena was set by Swedish course-designer Peter Lundstrom and asked plenty of questions as horses came indoors after a summer competing outside.

Runner-up Victoria Gulliksen, 30, said: “It was a crazy feeling, an adrenaline kick like I never experienced in my whole life! Without that horse I would never have jumped clear. I was missing totally to the last fence but he jumped it.”

The Norwegian rider added: “He does everything for me because he loves me and I love him, and he just knew he had to jump clear today and he was really working for it. I couldn’t be more happy to have a clear round for the first time in the World Cup on home soil!”

The World Cup rolls into Helsinki, Finland, next Sunday.

Longines FEI Jumping World Cup of Oslo presented by Kingsland results

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

A winning double for Matt Sampson

The British showjumper Matt Sampson has returned to Europe and this week contested the CSI3* Andalucia October Tour, where he immediately resumed his winning ways, landing a brace of classes on consecutive days, with Fabrice TN (pictured above) and Curraghgraigue Obos Flight among a string of good placings. His win with the latter came in a competitive 1.45m two-phase where he beat Holly Smith with Poden Farms’ Don Vito into second position, with an in-form Niamh McEvoy third on Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick. Among the other British winners in Spain were Kayleigh Watts (Whisper Of Joy), Ellie Hall McAteer (Billy Penny), her sister Jodie (Kimosa Van Het Kritrahof) and Will Edwards (Magic Chanti).

Andalucia October Tour showjumping results

Riders on form

At the CSI4* Fall Tour at Hubside Jumping Grimaud, St Tropez. France, recent Horse Of The Year Show (HOYS) puissance winner Commandant Geoff Curran landed a 1.50m two-phase riding the 10-year-old Tempo Manor, and his fellow Irishman Darragh Kenny secured a 1.45m victory against the clock on Cicomein VDL. This week’s grand prix winner was world number three Julien Epaillard of France with the nine-year-old Donatello D’Auge.

Hubside Jumping Grimaud results

Grand prix goes to Aston

British showjumper Chloe Aston landed the CSI3* grand prix at the Villamoura Champions Tour in Portugal. She and the 11-year-old mare Flavie Van De Helle soared home quickest in a nine-way jump-off to land the €12,825 top prize. James Smith took a notable win with the Castrado seven-year-old Wicked’s Vancouver, also jumping to victory on Laura Renwick’s Arkuga in Thursday’s 1.40m two-phase while Philip Spivey landed Friday’s 1.40m speed class on the nine-year-old Billy Pearl. Laura Renwick described James’s success as a “fabulous start to our Vilamoura Champions Tour”.

Villamoura Champions Tour results

Jubilant Irish and a mare’s miraculous comeback – who won showjumping ribbons this week?

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 16:05:32 +0000

There was a five-star showjumping bonanza close to home this week, with both Dublin Horse Show and the Longines Global Champions Tour of London vying for our attention. We witnessed a barefoot grand prix winner, heart-warming scenes of Irish ecstasy and heard about one mare’s miraculous comeback from serious injury.

Here is your weekly round-up of just some of the international sporting action from the world of showjumping, as well as this weekend’s showjumping results.

‘This has been a lifetime goal’

Nothing means more to Irish showjumpers than to lift the Aga Khan Cup for the Longines FEI Nations Cup of Ireland at Dublin Horse Show and on Friday (19 August) the quartet of 18-year-old Max Wachman (Berlux Z), Conor Swail (Count Me In), Cian O’Connor (Kilkenny) and Shane Sweetnam (James Kaan Cruz) bridged a seven-year gap to lift the coveted trophy amidst great scenes of jubilation. This was the nation’s 24th victory since its inception in 1926 and came after an epic duel with France to decide top honours.

“It’s been a lifetime goal and an incredible achievement to be Irish and win the FEI Nations Cup of Ireland,” said Conor, Ireland’s chosen jump-off representative, who couldn’t quite believe he’d nailed victory. “I looked up and the screen said two – I thought I wasn’t fast enough, it usually says one when you’re the quickest.” The cheering crowds soon put him right.

Anchorman Cian O’Connor, on his 16th Dublin team appearance and landing his fourth Dublin win, said after his double clear: “Kilkenny felt like he owned the ring, it was on me not to make a mistake.”

Longines FEI Nations Cup of Ireland results

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

A miraculous comeback from injury for former world-beater

Nicole Lockhead Anderson and Tom Williams’ superstar mare Chilli put in a breathtaking performance to win the CSI2* Fiji Water grand prix at the London LGCT.

“She’s just an absolute legend,” said Nicole of the 10-year-old Colestus x Colorit German-bred mare, who was a big winner in young horse classes, taking the World Young Horse Breeding Championships in Lanaken as a five-year-old when ridden by Pippa Goddard and finishing runner-up there as a six-year-old with Donald Whitaker in the saddle, before going on to win the newcomers final with him in 2018.

But disaster struck two years ago in Spain when Chilli got loose in the arena and tried to jump out, resulting in injuries that have required two years of healing and recuperation, making this an emotional return for the team.

“She basically lost all the muscles in her armpit and needed two years off,” said Nicole. “It’s amazing that she’s healed and has come back to jump at this level. We brought her back very slowly. She started jumping again a couple of months ago and Tom said a long time ago that he wanted to win the grand prix in London with her and we did it! She absolutely loved it – to win here is amazing.”

Read more about Nicole’s winning round

LGCT two-star grand prix results

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Clearing 2.20m at ‘the best show in the world’

Ireland’s Mikey Pender claimed a stunning hat-trick and the leading rider award at Dublin Horse Show. Marion Hughes’ consistent home-bred Catoki x Douglas 11-year-old HHS Fortune doubled up, taking the opening day’s speed stakes with 1.38 sec to spare and the speed Derby by a clear two seconds. Mikey’s 2019 Hickstead Derby champion Hearton Du Bois Halleux stepped up in the puissance, the Nonstop 15-year-old the only one to clear 2.20m in the five-way decider.

“This is the best show in the world. My horses have been on fantastic form and the crowd was behind us all week,” said Mikey.

Land Rover Puissance results

Barefoot one-two in London thriller

THE Brits may have been pushed off the podium for the first time since the Longines Global Champions Tour of London grand prix’s inception, but MOM’s Toupie De La Roque, the characterful chestnut mare (pictured below) who took the €100,000 (£84,830) jackpot for Belgium’s Pieter Devos, still won the admiration of the crowd. Pieter’s distinctive, white-stockinged 15-year-old, who competes barefoot and without front boots, used every ounce of athleticism and care to clear the second fence, after losing momentum on a risky, tight turnback. Her enthusiasm shone out round the rest of the track, where the split-screen analysis showed she found even more of an advantage on a brave run to the vertical at the last.

“The horse was doing absolutely everything she could to jump the fences clear,” Pieter said.

Second-placed rider Olivier Philippaerts was also riding a barefoot horse, the 10-year-old H&M Miro. Best of the Brits was fourth-placed Ellen Whitaker riding Andrew and Tilly Shaw’s 10-year-old grey Equine America Spacecake, who has “bunny-hopped” up the levels this year.

“She’s really quite inexperienced and I am so happy with her,” said Ellen, who started out jumping the mare at 1.10m and 1.20m in summer 2021 and began her five-star career in Rome this year.

London LGCT grand prix results

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Showjumping results: new mare impresses for Matt Sampson

British rider Matt Sampson has been enjoying plenty of success across the pond so far this summer, including top wins at Spruce Meadows, and he continued that streak this weekend. Matt and Elisa BJX took the 1.50m CSI3* ATCO Cup Grand Prix at Thunderbird Show Park, near Vancouver, nearly three seconds ahead of the USA’s Karrie Rufer on Stern dei Foletti.

“I thought, ‘It’s not very often you get to be in a grand prix at a show like this in the jump-off’,” Matt said. “She’s 10 years old, so she’s old enough to give it a go, and she just rose to it. That’s what good horses do.”

The mare had only jumped her first 1.50m course two days beforehand, in the “tbird” CSI3* Uryadi’s Village Cup.

“She [jumped] 1.50m on Friday, and we had two mistakes, but she just learns. She’s clever,” Matt said. “In the first round, she felt really good but a little inexperienced in places. In the jump-off, she felt amazing.”

Elisa only joined Matt’s string in June at Spruce Meadows.

“It’s difficult to get to know the horses at the show when you’re trying to compete with them, because you don’t really get that time for them to get to know you and vice versa—to create that bond where she trusts me,” he said. “I think we’ve really got that now.”

Thunderbird results

Swiss rider ‘steals’ his first five-star success from the Irish

Sunday’s Longines grand prix at Dublin Horse Show was won by Edouard Schmitz on Gamin Van’t Naastveldhof for Switzerland. Only seven of the 40 starters mastered course-designer Alan Wade’s 14-fence 1.60m track with Edouard registering his first win at this level by 0.47 sec.

“I got a good turn from fence one to two and I was cheeky on the rollback turn to the [penultimate] oxer,” said Edouard, who also executed a risky gallop to the double on the Chacco Chacco x Toulon 10-year-old. “He’s a big-striding horse with a good canter.”

Asked if he knew what it meant to win Ireland’s biggest grand prix, he replied: “I do. I’ve stolen it from two Irish riders but it couldn’t be a better place to win my first five-star grand prix.”

Conor and Count Me In came so close. “One less stride to the last would have got it but he’s jumped five clears over three days, I couldn’t ask for more,” he said, after edging ahead of third-placed teammate Shane Sweetnam on James Kann Cruz.

Longines international grand prix of Ireland results

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A speedy win on a ‘slow’ horse

Adam Botham took Saturday’s Martin Collins London Cup at the LGCT with a super round on Barbara Hester’s 10-year-old gelding Harvey. The 1.30m speed class was claimed with an innovative ride from Adam on Harvey, who he says is not naturally the quickest horse. So what was the secret to their success?

“I did one less stride everywhere basically!” said Adam, who won in 58.50sec, nearly a second faster than his closest rivals.

“Harvey’s not a fast horse, so he has to really try. When you walk the course, you have to work out how to do something different to everybody else with him in order to be fast enough, because when he jumps he doesn’t scoot through the air. He jumps high, and he’s a bit slow, but that’s why he can jump a big class. But in these speed classes, you just have to make sure you do something different.”

Wins galore for Breen and Howley

Great Britain-based Irishman Richard Howley claimed a hat-trick of wins at Dublin Horse Show while Trevor Breen soared to the top of the 1.50m Dublin Stakes riding Germaine W, jointly owned with Mandy Hall and Paul McAteer. Richard’s first win came in the Minerva 1.45m speed class on the Harley 12-year-old Fame with 2.26 sec in hand over William Whitaker’s Jalellah OL. They followed it up with a win in the pairs relay with Cliodhna McEvoy, 10, on 128cm Tynnan Tuttle Pip. Richard also took a 0.27 sec win in the Kilkea Castle 1.45m speed on Sarah Borthwick’s Chinook, a Tygo x Wellington 15-year-old at his second show since returning from injury 14 months ago. They arrived on form after a double victory at Bolesworth two-star the previous week.

“He’s been amazing these past six years. He’s won at every level, even when asking him beyond his capabilities, he never backs down from a challenge. He’s a fighter,” said Richard.

Dublin Horse Show showjumping results

Pohl’s winning double

German rider Nicola Pohl, whose boyfriend Donald Whitaker was jumping in the five-star classes at the London LGCT, landed a winning double at the show with Jack Whitaker’s junior European Championships silver medallist, Arlo De Blondel. The pair rocketed to top spot in Friday’s Hastens 1.40m two-phase, following up in the 1.30m Martin Collins London Cup jump-off class on Sunday.

“Arlo gave me everything – he loves the speed,” said 26-year-old Nicola, who took the reins at the start of the year.

‘It’s suddenly hit me now. I owe her so much’

The opening Hyde Park Stables 1.15m two-phase at the London leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour resulted in an emotional win for Ireland’s Aisling Byrne, who was told four years ago that she would never walk again after a riding accident in which a horse fell on top of her.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see that vision looking through the ears again, so even to have that, then to get in the ring, then for her to win… it’s incredible, a dream come true,” said Aisling, who was riding her super grey mare Wellview Lucy. “She was the first horse I got back on and jumped my first 60cm again after my accident, so she’s brought me all the way. It’s suddenly hit me now. I owe her so much.”

Read what else Aisling had to say

‘That’s what we came here to do’: Ireland’s showjumping team secures Paris 2024 Olympic qualification

Becky Murray — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 23:05:23 +0000

Ireland has finished fourth – and secured Paris 2024 qualification – in a dramatic team final at the Agria FEI World Showjumping Championships.

The Irish entered this evening’s proceedings in ninth place – and came within touching distance of team bronze – but an unfortunate five faults from Cian O’Connor on C Vier 2 and a shock retirement from Daniel Coyle and Legacy – led to them finishing in fourth place in the World Showjumping Championships results.

Cian O’Connor has enjoyed a fantastic week with Susan Magnier’s 14-year-old gelding, with clears in the first and second rounds of the competition – but the pair just ran out of steam in the final combination, knocking the vertical at fence 13b. The pair go into the individual final on Sunday on a score of 9.70, after also picking up one time-penalty.

It was a different story however for Ireland’s final combination, Daniel Coyle and Legacy, who retired mid-round. The pair had started confidently, but knocked the triple bar at fence six and the vertical at fence seven. They briefly regained their composure, but took down the second part of the combination at fence nine and after rattling the next fence, Daniel looked to the scoreboard before sensibly calling it a day – with only the three top scores counting in the team competition. The round will be a blow for Daniel, who produced a clear on the 12-year-old mare in the first day, and added just two time faults to his round on day two.

Denis Lynch started proceedings for Ireland this evening with a clear round and one time-penalty with Brooklyn Heights, and second to go Bertram Allen came out fighting on Pacino Amiro with a lucky clear, despite a few rattles.

The fourth place means Ireland has secured Olympic qualification at the Paris 2024 Games.

“We’re delighted to finish in fourth place,” said Cian. “Obviously we just miss out barely on a bronze medal, but we’re thrilled because the group of horses that we have here are all a little bit new to us in the team at this level; particularly C Vier 2 – I only got him this year – and Denis’s horse is also new.

“Olympic qualification [at the first attempt] is a real monkey off our back because it’s something that’s eluded us [previously]. In all my career we’ve never managed to do it the first time anyway, so I’m not sure when the last time Ireland qualified in its first attempt.”

It was tight at the top with Britain finishing in bronze on 22.66 – only 0.49 less than Ireland – and pathfinder Denis Lynch reflected on the score.

“If I didn’t have the time-fault, or maybe yesterday if we didn’t have the time-fault for example, we were thereabouts for a medal, so that’s a pity,” he said. “But ok, we qualified for the Olympics – that’s what we came here to do and I’m very proud of my horse and my teammates.”

In what was a rollercoaster evening, Sweden claimed team gold, the Netherlands won silver, and Great Britain took bronze in the World Showjumping Championships results.

Three members of the Irish team will next jump in the individual team final on Sunday, which features the top 25 combinations. Denis is currently in 19th, Cian 20th and Bertram 21st.

‘I’m absolutely thrilled’: Cian O’Connor posts copybook round at World Showjumping Championships

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:53:48 +0000

Ireland’s third team rider Cian O’Connor has posted another clear for his country at the Agria FEI World Showjumping Championships with his relatively new ride C Vier 2. His class round keeps Ireland in the hunt for a team medal in the World Showjumping Championships results, although the team are currently sitting in 12th place.

“I was delighted – he’s a special horse and he jumped around so easily,” Cian said after his round on the 14-year-old owned by Susan Magnier. “You know, we make our plan when we walk the course and it’s rare that the plan comes up like that. He just got into a good rhythm at the start and everything came up very nicely, so I’m absolutely thrilled.”

Cain’s round is the only clear for Ireland so far on day two of the championships in Herning, Denmark, after Denis Lynch and Bertram Allen incurred four and eight faults respectively earlier in the day.

“I think Denis and Bertram did well and it’s tough out there,” said Cian of their World Showjumping Championships results. “Hopefully my round helps and then if Daniel Coyle can come in at the end and do a good round, that will really help as well.”

Cian only started riding the Cardento x Concorde gelding in May, with the horse having come from Germany’s David Will, who jumped him at the European Championships last year.

“He’s got a huge jump and all the experience, but I have to work to keep him settled,” explained Cian. “Today he just gave me a great feeling the whole way around. He can be quirky to get on and in the warm-up – he’s sensitive, but obviously a brilliant jumper.”

World Showjumping Championships day two: when the Brits and Irish will ride

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 06:02:46 +0000

The start lists have been published for today’s (11 August) team competition at the Agria FEI World Showjumping Championships — with Britain drawn last to go.

Britain has changed its order with Ben Maher and Faltic HB, who were in 10th place overnight, first to go for the team. Yesterday’s pathfinders Joe Stockdale and Equine America Cacharel are second, followed by Harry Charles and Romeo 88, with Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson, who come into this round in second place, last to go.

Ireland has been drawn 10th, and keeps the same order as today.

After yesterday’s speed class, all combinations carry their penalties with them to this second qualifier for tomorrow’s team final.

The class starts at 1pm local time (12pm UK time) and exact times for riders have not been released but allowing two minutes per rider, with breaks, the approximate times are:

World Showjumping Championships approx times: British riders

Ben Maher and Faltic HB: approx 2.22pm local time, 1.22pm UK time
Joe Stockdale and Equine America Cacharel: approx 3.42pm local time, 2.42pm UK time
Harry Charles and Romeo 88: approx 5.06pm local time, 4.06pm UK time
Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson: approx 6.24pm local time, 5.24pm UK time

Irish riders:

Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights: approx 1.18pm local time, 12.18pm UK time
Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro: approx 2.46pm local time, 1.46 UK time
Cian O’Connor and C Vier 2: approx 4.38pm local time, 3.38pm UK time
Daniel Coyle and Legacy: approx 6.02pm local time, 5.02 UK time

Cian O’Connor and ‘quirky, delicate’ gelding keep Ireland in contention at World Showjumping Championships

Jennifer Donald — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 14:10:59 +0000

Ireland’s third team rider Cian O’Connor has posted another clear for the squad at the Agria FEI World Showjumping Championships with his relatively new ride C Vier 2.

Following in the hoofprints of his team-mates Bertram Allen (Pacino Amiro) and pathfinder Denis Lynch (Brooklyn Heights), Cian was delighted with the performance from the 14-year-old, owned by Susan Magnier, which put them in the top 35 during the first day’s class at the World Showjumping Championships.

Cian only started riding the Cardento x Concorde gelding in May but quickly found top-level form to be selected to represent Ireland at the World Showjumping Championships.

“He’s very experienced and so am I, but we haven’t done a championship together,” said Cian. “I’ve only had him a couple of months so obviously I’m very pleased.

“It’s a good course to ride because everything’s quite even and you can be smooth. I have to keep him in his box a little bit – I didn’t want to get him out of his box today because he likes to run, he has a lot of blood. So I thought if I went too fast maybe he’d be too strong tomorrow, so I’m happy.

“Daniel Coyle is coming last for the Irish and he’s very quick and Bertram Allen was lying second, and Denis Lynch already had a good round. So my theory was to be around the same as Denis in case something happened to Daniel to give the team a good score. But more important to keep this horse in a good frame of mind for the coming days.”

Cian describes C Vier 2, who was previously ridden by Germany’s David Will, as a very good horse with a lot of character.

“He’s by Cardento interestingly enough, and so is [my other top horse] Kilkenny,” said Cian. “But he’s quirky, he’s delicate to get up on or if you handle him too quick or go towards him too fast. He needs to get to know his people. He’s now totally comfortable with Mia, who looks after him, and me. But if a stranger comes in, he is a bit nervy so you have to really take your time and not rush him. He felt super today, he jumped so well and gave me a great feeling the whole way round.

“As quirky as he is, he loves normal things, like he loves going in the field and going for hacks around my farm. We have an aqua spa that he goes in, he loves that. So he’s a delicate character but once he knows you’re going to be kind to him and everything is fine, he trusts you. I’m very lucky and very thankful to his owner, Susan Magnier, to have him to ride.”

Summing up Ireland’s chances so far at the World Showjumping Championships, Cian said: “So far, it looks good. It’s a long way to go. But obviously Olympic qualification is the big aim. It’d be nice to catch a medal if we could, too.”

Ireland’s final team rider, Daniel Coyle on Legacy, slotted in just ahead of his team-mates Cian and Denis in the standings.

“The standard here is just incredibly high so you’ve got to try and keep up and not take everything out,” he said. “It’s always hard doing a speed class before a Nations Cup [tomorrow] so I’m sure there’s a lot of riders today who took a lot out of their horses by going too fast. I got a little bit unlucky at the second last jump and it cost me as an individual and for the team. But we’re trying to make the best plan going forward and hopefully we can climb the table now.”

And they’re off! Start list confirmed for World Showjumping Championships

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 07:44:58 +0000

The start lists have been confirmed for the first round of competition as the Agria FEI World Showjumping Championships get under way today (10 August).

The first competition is a speed class, which sets the baseline for the rest of the week’s action, and all eight British and Irish combinations will be in action. The first horse and rider to carry the Union Flag into the Stutteri Ask Stadium will be Joe Stockdale and Equine America Cacharel, who have been drawn 11th to go.

The class starts at 11am local time (10am UK time) and exact times for riders have not been released but allow two minutes per rider, and there are four breaks, one every 20 or 21 combinations.

World Showjumping Championships approx times: British riders

Joe Stockdale and Equine America Cacharel: approx 11.22 local time, 10.22 UK time
Harry Charles and Romeo 88: 36th
Ben Maher and Faltic HB: 65th
Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson: 91st

Irish riders:

Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights: approx 11.06 local time, 10.06 UK time
Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro: 28th
Cian O’Connor and C Vier 2: 56th
Daniel Coyle and Legacy: 84th

Current world and European silver medallist Martin Fuchs is 76th to go on his 2021 European medal-winning ride Leone Jei, and European champions Andre Thieme and DSP Chakaria are 60th in. Olympic silver medallists Peder Fredricson and H&M All In are 103rd and last to go, and Tokyo bronze medallists Maikel van der Vleuten with Beauville Z NOP go 33rd.

The scores in this first competition will be determined by the winning rider, on faults and time, being given 0 penalties; the others in descending order will be given a total determined by the difference in faults between them and the winner. Any combination eliminated or who does not finish will be given 20 penalties more than the highest score of all who completed.

Scott Brash is thwarted by a sneaky short-cut and an Irishman commutes between five-star shows: who won showjumping ribbons this week?

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 20:16:55 +0000

At the weekend we watched Scott Brash’s future star come of age – as well as his oh-so-close finish in the prestigious Aachen grand prix. There were international dashes between five-star shows for one Irish rider, groundbreaking team performances and a proud moment for connections of Cian O’Connor’s latest talent, who he thinks has all the credentials to go to the top.

Here is your weekly round-up of just some of the international sporting action from the world of showjumping.

BRASH IS THWARTED BY A SNEAKY SHORT-CUT…

Seven years after Scott Brash landed the prestigious Aachen grand prix with Hello Sanctos en route to winning the Rolex Grand Slam, he and top horse Hello Jefferson looked odds-on to repeat the feat when forging a strong lead with just one combination left to jump in Sunday’s five-way jump-off to decide the Rolex Grand Prix.

(Image credit: Libby Law)

However, young German rider Gerrit Nieberg, son of Olympian Lars Nieberg, gambled with a short-cut to a formidable double on his scopey gelding Ben 431 and it was enough to secure a half-second advantage, which took them to the top of the leaderboard and made 29-year-old Gerrit the new live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping.

“Everything is still unreal – I really didn’t expect this. Dreams definitely came true today,” he said.

Runner-up Scott reflected: “Feelings are a bit mixed because everyone wants to win Aachen, so it was a bit disappointing not to snatch a win. But at the same time I have to be thrilled with Jefferson, he’s jumped fantastic all week — he did everything that was asked of him and more. We were beaten fair and square; Gerrit had to risk it all, so all credit to him. I saw the [inside] line he took but it was tight and it was tough so I must say Gerrit did it really well.”

Rolex grand prix of Aachen results

Courtesy of CHIO Aachen/Michael Strauch (Image credit: creditUnknown)

…BUT ANOTHER “HELLO” STAR IS THE TALK OF AACHEN

Earlier in the week, however, Scott Brash and the eight-year-old mare Hello Vittoria (above) produced a an exceptionally smart double-clear winning performance in the Sparkassen Youngsters Cup Final where they were up against some of the best young horses in the world.

Michael Quirke and Shane Breen bought Vittoria originally from a Fences Auction and Scott spotted the Kannan mare as a five-year-old while she was jumping at Hickstead with Georgia Tame. He has been producing her slowly to this level since.

“I was really happy with how she took to the atmosphere; it was a full stadium on Saturday night under the lights,” said Scott. “The tracks were difficult enough and they had a small water jump in there one day, but it’s great experience for the young horses and she felt like she grew up over the week. We’ve been ticking along quietly with her, but when you’re in Aachen you try to win!”

Scott describes her as a “very level-headed mare”.

“She keeps her jump, she’s very careful and a very straightforward horse to do everything with,” said Scott. “So it’s just about producing her in a nice way and showing her the world.”

Sparkassen Youngsters Cup Final results

CIAN O’CONNOR’S “UNEXPECTED” WIN

Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and the nine-year-old Emerald stallion Taj Mahal (below) won the 1.55m CSI3* grand prix at Knokke Hippique, Belgium. Course-designer Gregory Bodo had presented the field of 57 competitors with “quite a few technical hurdles”, which he said required riders “to have their heads in the game” and Cian produced the faster of only two double clears for victory.

“I’ve really taken my time with this horse — he’s definitely the most careful horse I’ve ever ridden; he’s so clever,” said Cian, who has high hopes for Sue Magnier’s stallion. “I’ve done a whole season really of 1.40ms and two-star grands prix.

“I was not expecting a win today. Taj Mahal is still only nine years old. It is his first three-star grand prix and it’s under lights.”

(Image credit: Boss Mare Media)

Cian spotted the stallion competing at young horse shows and he was given the name Taj Mahal by his new owner Sue Magnier, who was there on the night to witness their success first-hand.

“He had been on my radar then we managed to secure him last year,” said Cian. “I’m very lucky that Mrs Magnier owns him — her huge interest in horses comes from racing but she is now breaking through into showjumping through her grandchildren, Tom and Max Wachman, who are obviously doing very well.

“I am so happy his previous rider Dieter Vermeiren got to see him win here. He made the horse and helped me a lot with him, so I was able to take him to the next level — it was great teamwork.”

An emotional Dieter added: “We started out together when we were both young. Now he wins these amazing competitions. We have a great relationship with Cian. They are an amazing combination, especially because instead of wanting to change the horse, he knows and reinforces his strongest assets.”

Knokke Hippique grand prix results

EMERGING TALENT SHINES IN YOUTH EQUESTRIAN GAMES

Also on the agenda at Aachen’s World Equestrian Festival was the Youth Equestrian Games for riders aged 15 to 18, where Great Britain’s representative Claudia Moore on borrowed horse Largo Van De Molenhoek jumped brilliantly to finish sixth individually and help Team Europe to second place after a thrilling three-way jump-off to decide the podium.

“I knew Mimi [Gochman, from North America’s winning team] had an incredible round and I wanted to match that,” said Claudia. “I kept quite cool, calm and collected and went in and I had so much fun. I had my entire team behind me and I think that was the thing that drove me the most! Some people in their professional career never get to jump at Aachen and for us to be able to do it at this age, and have this type of experience early on, is amazing.”

South Africa’s Thomas van Rijckevorsel claimed individual gold ahead of Morocco’s Jed Guerraoui in silver and USA rider Mimi in bronze.

“I have three top open horses at home that jump at 1.40m and three young horses as well as a dressage horse”, said the winning rider from Johannesburg, who was competing in Europe for the first time. “After this week I definitely want to come back and jump at Aachen again — I’d love to have a career in this sport, it’s my life!”

Aachen Youth Equestrian Games results

SAYWELL’S RISING STAR COMES OF AGE AT BOLESWORTH

Back on home soil, Louise Saywell and Kingsborough Kasper triumphed in the CSI3* grand prix at the Dodson & Horrell Bolesworth International Horse Show. The nine-year-old Kannan stallion “wants to win”, his delighted rider said.

“He loves being competitive as much as I do,” said Louise. “This was a big step up for him as he hadn’t done a 1.50m before, but he has a lot of talent.”

You can read the full report from Bolesworth in this week’s H&H (in the shops Thursday 7 July)

Bolesworth grand prix results

DARRAGH KENNY COMMUTES BETWEEN FIVE-STAR SHOWS

Not content with competing at one five-star show this week, Ireland’s Darragh Kenny commuted between Aachen and the Longines Global Champions Tour of Monaco, competing at each venue on alternate days. It was an ambitious strategy, which paid off with an impressive runner-up spot in the Monaco grand prix riding Volnay Du Boisdeville. He reached round two of the Rolex grand prix in Aachen on VDL Cartello, where they just picked up four faults to be placed ninth.

“Second seems to be my position and it’s not exactly where I would like to be,” he said from Monaco. “But Volnay jumped unbelievable. He has been a great horse for me since I took him over from Teddy Vlock. I was a little slow in the jump-off and that is where I lost it. I definitely knew I left the door open, I did one more stride to the vertical then I would have liked and then I was a little slow to the last and I knew I was behind today.”

The winner in Monaco was Austria’s Max Kühner, securing his first LGCT grand prix and a ticket to the Super Grand Prix at the Prague Playoffs at the end of the season. Amazingly, the top three riders on the podium — Max, Darragh and Belgium’s Olivier Philippaerts (H&M Miro) — were the same three riders as the previous year, with Max just going one better this time.

Courtesy of GCT (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“It was really important for me to catch Darragh this year because last year I was in the lead but he was just a bit faster than me, so this year I really had the mission to beat him,” said Max. “In this sport, we don’t expect things we fight for it and of course, the golden ticket is something all the other riders are also fighting for and I am very happy to have it now.”

LGCT grand prix of Monaco result

A MILESTONE NATIONS CUP — WITH A DOUBLE CLEAR FROM HARRY CHARLES

It’s been five years since Great Britain last fielded a team for the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup of Aachen but the Union Flag flew proudly as the quartet of Ben Maher, Harry Charles, Scott Brash and John Whitaker finished on the podium after a hard-fought contest on Thursday night (30 June).

“I’m absolutely over the moon with the performances tonight,” said Di Lampard, Great Britain’s performance manager. “To come here to this stadium and have those rounds — we’re going the right way towards the end of the season.”

Aachen Nations Cup results

FROM MOUNTED GAMES TO MONTE CARLO GLORY

A few weeks ago, British teenager Isabella Beecroft-Luckett was representing England in the Pony Club games at Royal Windsor but this week she was leading a prize-giving ceremony in front of royalty and celebrities at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Monaco.

The 14-year-old rider teamed up with speedy Frenchman Olivier Robert to win the Longines Pro-Am team relay.

Pro-Am team relay result

“I COULDN’T BE PROUDER OF MY HORSE”

USA rider Giavanna Rinaldi may have had her “dream come true” when winning the Pan American Grand Prix presented by Rolex at Spruce Meadows, Canada, but she gave full credit to her horse Cosmona for her first five-star win, which came after a tactical two-way jump-off.

“I’ve always dreamt of coming to this show — it’s been a big dream of mine,” said Giavanna. “I couldn’t be prouder of my horse and the team behind us.”

The two-star equivalent went to Kent Farrington on new ride Chato Lou, just two hundredths of a second quicker than Robert Blanchette of Ireland (pictured top).

Spruce Meadows results

SAMPSON CONTINUES HIS WINNING STREAK

Fresh from his first five-star grand prix victory, British rider Matt Sampson landed the 1.40m winning round at Spruce Meadows, Canada, once again riding Curraghgraigue Obos Flight. He posted the winning double clear in 51.23sec.

Spruce Meadows results

“IT’S AMAZING TO JUMP MY FIRST DOUBLE CLEAR FOR THE TEAM”

Great Britain’s Lily Attwood (Calvaro’s Up To Date) teamed up with Olivier Philippaerts for the Stockholm Hearts powered by H&M We Love Horses to clinch victory in the Global Champions League of Monaco. The London Knights pair of Mike Kawai and team debutant Sam Hutton finished second, ahead of Berlin Eagles, represented this week by Eoin McMahon and Philipp Weishaupt, in third.

“It felt amazing today to jump my first double clear for the team, my mare really lit up in this arena and to have this win with Olivier feels amazing,” said Lily. “Ginger is quite a small horse so I think this arena suits her so much.”

GCL of Monaco results

A DOUBLE WIN FOR MCLAIN WARD – WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS NEXT?

USA rider McLain Ward landed a brace of big class wins at Aachen – Friday’s 1.60m RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia and Wednesday’s Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe, both riding Contagious.

“He’s on really good form and we’re aiming him towards the world championships – it’s one of the reasons we had this week planned for him, so we’ll stick to our plan and hopefully be in the mix,” he said.

Ireland victorious in Nations Cup at the Winter Equestrian Festival

Sarah Eakin — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 12:03:10 +0000

Ireland rode to victory in the $150,00 Nations Cup CSIO4* at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), with the final round under the lights on a course that caused challenges for some. It was the fourth Nations Cup triumph for Ireland – led by chef d’equipe, Michael Blake – in the 21-year history of the class at WEF.

After round one Ireland was tied with Canada on zero faults following clear rounds from Eoin McMahon and Chakra 9, Max Wachman and Berlux Z and Andrew Bourns on Sea Topblue.

Tied for second with one rail down were Australia, Mexico and Great Britain – after a picturesque clear from Jessica Mendoza and Play, and a textbook round from Ben Maher and Faltic B, who made it look easy.

There were 16 clear trips in the first round over the course designed by Nick Granat (USA) and Steve Stephens (USA). Pathfinder Eoin and Chakra 9 had just one time fault in round two. “She jumped fantastic in the first round, and she jumped great in the second round as well,” said Eoin. “I was a bit too slow; that was a rider error. I was very happy that it didn’t cost us tonight. It’s always a real privilege to be able to jump for Ireland. I’m very grateful for Michael selecting me.”

Max, 18, felt similarly grateful to be a part of Team Ireland, and he gave a noteworthy double-clear performance, one of only five in the class. “I’m delighted, and it’s a great feeling to win,” he said

Riding in the third spot for the Irish team, Andrew and Seatop Blue were coming off a strong WEF circuit, having won the CSI4* grand prix during week three. They recorded just an unlucky four faults in round two.

“I was very happy with him tonight,” said Andrew. “This is his first Nations Cup. I was a little worried he might come out in the second round and think it was a jump-off. But, after the second or third fence, I realized that I was right on the money with him.”

Cian O’Connor was the anchor rider for Ireland with Cerruti Van Ter Hulst Z, Fence four – a lime green open-arched wall – proved to be a nemesis for them as it had for several other riders. “She took a serious dislike to the wall as soon as I turned the first time,” said Cian. ”I felt it, but she dug her heels in. But listen, that’s horses. We’ll regroup and school the wall probably and build her back up. She’ll be back to fight another day.”

Canada and the United States both had a total of 12 faults after two rounds. The teams’ cumulative times were the tiebreaker, with Canada taking home second place and the US finishing third. Great Britain was fourth on 16 faults, Mexico finished fifth with 20 faults, and Australia placed sixth on 29 faults. Argentina took seventh place with 30 faults, and Belgium was eighth with 32 faults.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Meet the Irish teenager showjumper making his five-star breakthrough

Jennifer Donald — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 18:02:43 +0000

Over the festive season, we’re getting the scoop on a few up-and-coming riders across the equestrian disciplines. These are a select few individuals you really need to keep an eye out for during 2022…

He’s only 17, but Irish showjumper Max Wachman already looks a star in the making. The Tipperary teenager was picked to ride for the Global Champions League (GCL) team Cannes Stars this year and made his five-star debut on the Tour in Madrid in May.

He has since produced plenty of impressive performances, including in the GCL Super Cup on his first visit to the Prague Playoffs in November, as well as representing Ireland at the junior European Championships in July.

Max and his older brother Tom come from a family steeped in racing history. Their grandparents are John and Sue Magnier, owners of Coolmore Stud, and their great-grandfather is the legendary trainer Vincent O’Brien. However, Max and his sibling compete under the family’s Coolmore Showjumping banner and have already won youth championship medals galore.

Expert tuition from Cian O’Connor

Max is trained by Ireland’s 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Cian O’Connor.

“We’re based in Tipperary, about two hours away from him, but coming up to a big show we might go up to [Cian’s base at] Karlswood for three or four days to ride and train with him,” says Max.

Max currently has four horses, including new ride Berlux Z, who came from French showjumper Simon Delestre after the Tokyo Olympics, and the 12-year-old mare Dorette.

“They’re both very good,” says Max. “Berlux is new, so I’m still getting used to him, but the Prague Playoffs were a great experience to get to know him in a couple of bigger classes.

“I’ve had Dorette for a while and she’s very careful, and a great horse to have. I also have a nice nine-year-old called Ikaros, who is on a break at the moment.”

Max Wachman on his five-star experiences

Max describes his breakthrough year on the five-star circuit as “a good experience, learning new things”.

“I didn’t go to too many shows in the end, but the ones I went to have been a great experience – Madrid, Stockholm and Prague,” he says. “It’s a very good league and Jan Tops does a brilliant job putting it all together. It would be very cool to do it again next year.”

Talking about the pressure of jumping as part of a team at the prestigious GCL Super Cup in Prague, Max says: “I took it in my stride, but obviously there’s a bit more pressure – you have to deliver for your team-mates rather than when you’re riding as an individual. But Abdel Said and Sameh El Dahan are both very nice fellas so they’re very easy to ride with.”

Max is enjoying a couple of “easy” weeks over the festive period, but you’ll see him back in action at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida for the next few months. He’s a super young horseman and certainly one to follow in 2022.

Cian O’Connor’s horse ‘recovered well’ after nosebleed during Olympic showjumping individual; alternate switched in for team

Lucy Elder — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 15:11:17 +0000

Cian O’Connor and Kilkenny topped the Irish standings in the Olympic showjumping individual final, although the pair will not go forward to contest the team medals at the Tokyo Games after the gelding sustained a nosebleed.

Cian said that the nine-year-old Cardento gelding has “recovered well”, but that he will not be competing as part of the team competition as “the horse’s future is more important”.

The pair left all the fences standing in both Tuesday’s qualifier and the first round of Wednesday’s individual final. A solitary time fault kept the pair out of the jump-off and they finished equal with Britain’s Scott Brash in seventh.

“I’ve decided not to put Kilkenny forward for the team competition as his well-being comes first and I’ve no doubt we will have much success together in the future,” Cian said. “I’ll be here on the ground to help my team mates win a medal.”

He added: “[It’s been a] tough night, just finished [the] individual final, and myself and Kilkenny finished seventh. Unfortunately he had a nosebleed towards the end of the competition, but luckily he has recovered well, he looks great.

“The vets have checked him over and he seems fine. We’re allowed to continue to compete, but to me his future is more important. I’m going to be on the ground, I’m going to help Bertram [Allen], Darragh [Kenny] and Shane [Sweetnam] and please god they can get a team medal.

“We’ll be back to fight another day. I’m just happy he’s in such good shape and he jumped so well in both qualifier and final. To finish seventh at the Olympic Games isn’t so bad!”

An official statement from FEI Olympic director Catrin Norinder confirmed Kilkenny had a nosebleed (epistaxis) during the Olympic individual showjumping final.

“The nine-year-old Irish-bred gelding, which completed the course with just a single time fault, was checked by veterinarians immediately after the competition and, as a precaution, the horse will go to the onsite veterinary clinic for a further examination,” said the statement.

The statement added that under FEI jumping rules, blood on the flanks or in the horse’s mouth results in elimination, and that equine epistaxis (nosebleed) is not a cause for elimination.

Irish team vet Marcus Swail added: “Kilkenny jumped outstanding again today for Cian. Unfortunately he sustained a nosebleed towards the end of his round. He recovered quickly and all vitals were normal. He was subject to further examination at the on-site veterinary clinic and the horse is now comfortable and back in his stable.”

Irish showjumpers celebrate a fantastic start in Tokyo Olympics individual qualifier

Jennifer Donald — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 11:44:26 +0000

Irish riders made an outstanding start in the individual qualifier for the Olympic showjumping at the Tokyo Games on Tuesday 3 August, with all three riders jumping clear and now look sure to qualify for Wednesday’s individual medal-decider.

The pathfinder for Ireland was Darragh Kenny, who produced a super clear over course-designer Santiago Varelo’s testing and colourful track riding Heathman Farm’s 14-year-old stallion Cartello, who he only started riding in May of this year.

“The horse feels good,” said Darragh, who went in to an early lead courtesy of his fast time. “It’s difficult to go early in the class, not knowing really what to do, but the horse jumped fantastic. He’s in great form so I’m looking forward to the week.”

Describing the track, which has caused plenty of upsets already, Darragh said: “It’s tough for day one – big jumps and the oxers are wide and spooky under the lights. The combination is quite a long six strides, so it suits a bigger striding horse. I think the last line is going to take a lot of jumping – it is very tough.”

Although both horse and rider are experienced in their own rights, Darragh and Cartello had only jumped at five international shows together before arriving in Tokyo.

“It’s pretty incredible,” said Darragh. “Cartello was very good in Madrid – which was the second show I took him to in the Globals [Global Champions Tour] and he jumped fantastic in the grand prix to finish third. And then he went to Rome and jumped the Nation’s Cup – we only jumped one round and he jumped clear – and then he went to La Baule and he was clear and four with a foot in the water, which really was my own fault.”

Ireland’s second representative, Bertram Allen and the nine-year-old Pacino Amiro, by the great stallion Pacino, followed with an equally impressive clear.

“That was very exciting,” said Bertram. “We’ve been here now for a while so to get in there and get a round behind us is great and I’m very happy with the horse. My guy is not spooky, he’s very genuine, but he is only nine. So, it’s a lot to take in for any horse, but a nine-year-old doing his first championship it’s a bit extra. But because he’s so genuine and has such a good brain, that’s why he does it.”

It wasn’t long before third rider for Ireland, Cian O’Connor made it a hat-trick of clears riding the lovely grey Kilkenny, owned by Sue Magnier.

“You don’t want to count your chickens too soon, but that will definitely give you the confidence,” said Cian reflecting on Ireland’s dream start to the Olympics.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Cian O’Connor shares his Olympic preparations: ‘It’s important to keep sharp’

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 18 Jul 2021 11:24:44 +0000

Cian O’Connor is one of Ireland’s most successful showjumpers, with a numerous wins, placings and team call-ups to his name, including riding at two Olympics, two World Championships and six Europeans, plus more than 125 senior caps for his country.

He is about to add another Olympic Games appearance to that tally, when he rides Kilkenny in Tokyo Games.

“I always think when you’re preparing for a big championship, you don’t want to change too much,” Cian explained of his Olympic preparation, when H&H’s showjumping editor Jennifer Donald chatted to him on episode 59 of The Horse & Hound podcast.

“At the moment, I’m studying course plans, and I’m looking at things from courses over the past number of years that were built by the same course designer who will be building and designing in Tokyo; the Spaniard Santiago Varela. This is because many course designers have a signature style and the same stuff tends to come up.

“So we’re practising but it’s not like we’re at home building Olympic-sized fences or anything like that because obviously it’s very different schooling at home, as opposed to the horse’s blood being up in the arena.

“More than anything it’s a case of trying to keep yourself in shape so I’m building courses and taking out other horses and practising on them, and just making sure that my eye is in.

“I’m also competing as much as I can right up until we go to Tokyo – I think it’s important that we stay riding and competing to keep sharp.”

Continued below…

(Image credit: Zuma Press/PA Images)

If you’d like to hear more from Cian, listen here to episode 59 of The Horse and Hound podcast or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

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The Horse & Hound Podcast 59: Olympic showjumper Cian O’Connor | Fitness for amateur riders| News round-up

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 05:45:10 +0000

Episode 59 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, our popular audio service available exclusively every Thursday morning for our H&H Plus subscribers and currently supported by Petplan Equine, is now live.

Each episode is available for all H&H fans to listen to 24hrs after its early release to our H&H Plus members. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode. This will allow more listeners to make The Horse & Hound Podcast an essential part of their week on Friday morning.

View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

In episode 59, top Irish showjumper Cian O’Connor, who will be riding at Tokyo, talks to H&H showjumping editor Jennifer Donald about how he approaches such a big event.

“Any championship, in particular the Olympic Games, is about being able to deliver on the big day – is my horse fit? Is he healthy? Have I jumped him enough? How’s his rideability? What areas do I need to improve on? These are all things that need considering” – Cian O’Connor on preparing for an Olympic Games

Moving on to the week’s top news stories, H&H editor Pippa Roome is joined by Horse & Hound’s news editor Eleanor Jones, senior news writer Lucy Elder and news writer Becky Murray to discuss horse registration for the Olympics, prosecution around an owner who didn’t call the vet and use of carpet in arena surfaces.

“The pony had to be put down because his sarcoids were so bad” – Eleanor Jones on the recent welfare prosecution

In this week’s advice section, we welcome personal trainer Katie Bleekman, who will be offering advice on how amateur riders should prepare themselves for competition.

“Think about what is going to benefit you, your goals and your horse, and then train accordingly” – Katie Bleekman

We hope you will enjoy our latest episode and would love to hear your feedback, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com