Showjumping's stars of the future

HORSE SHOW PREVIEW:A team of young Irish riders recently won European gold medals in Portugal, riding horses
not ponies. Here their trainer, former international rider John Ledingham, tells EILEEN BATTERSBY why they're such a special squad

CORMAC HANLEY IS completing his preparation for this year’s Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show at the RDS. His two 12-year-old mounts, Trendy Nimbus – owned by his family – and Lucy Daly’s Moy Dancer are competing respectively in the 138cms and 148cms pony classes, and will be travelling with him to Dublin from the family’s Claremorris Equestrian Centre, in Co Mayo.

Earlier this month, Cormac made another journey, a much longer one to Comporta in Portugal where he and his teammates, Kerry Taggart, Tom Harty and Tim MacDonagh, ably supported by reserve rider Hannah Smyth, won the gold medal at the FEI European Showjumping Championships for Children, Juniors and Young Riders, competing on horses.

For Hanley and Tim MacDonagh it was an emphatic return to the championships. Last year both of them had featured on Ireland’s bronze medal-winning team. Not only that, MacDonagh’s valiant gelding, Cord Alou, had also returned, winning gold to add to the bronze. And, most impressively of all, Cord Alou, at 19, was not only the senior horse on the Irish team; he was the oldest horse in the entire championship.

At the age of 13 and 14, when most of their peers are competing on ponies, these young riders have chosen the more difficult option – horses. Ponies are clever and in many cases, have done it all before. There are few masters as wise and as knowing as a pony.

“This is what makes this achievement all the more impressive,” says the team’s manager, coach and chef d’equipe former Olympic rider John Ledingham, whose distinguished international career representing the Irish Army spanned 21 years and included three Hickstead Derby victories – one on Gabhran and two on Kilbaha. “It is far more difficult. The horse doesn’t have that pony mind and needs more direction. It’s more powerful, the stride is bigger. It is tough to get a horse over a 1.30-metre track – and no mean feat if you are only 14 years old.”

The Irish team held off 15 other countries, to win the jump-off against Germany, with Great Britain, the defending champions finishing third.

Ledingham is delighted with the performances and stresses how important good competition is for riders. “It’s true of any sport but it is that bit more difficult for Irish showjumpers. We have to travel so far. It took five days each way for these horses to be transported to Portugal. It is the same for our international riders; that’s why so many of them are based in Europe, where they have a choice of four or five international shows every weekend, all within about three hours by road. For the Irish rider – good competition means having to travel, and travel is demanding.”

A great deal of effort went into selecting the team. The selection and training process starts in February when riders are advised to jump at the 1.20-metre in the Chippson league, which is a series of competitions held over eight weekends. “By then you have a strong indication” says Ledingham, “as to what horses and riders are up to European standards.”

All the riders who were interested in being considered for the European team went to compete in the British selection championship at Wales and West, the equestrian centre owned by the famous former international rider David Broome. One of the most popular figures in world showjumping, Broome, who partnered many great horses, is best remembered for his beloved Mr Softee, the Irish-bred gelding that won Broome an Olympic bronze medal at the Mexico Olympics.

At that selection event, Kerry Taggart won the Grand Prix on Miss Contradiction, a bay mare owned by her mother. Taggart showed in Wales exactly how good she is against the clock. Her ability to negotiate a course at speed was to prove vital in Portugal in the jump off.

It was at the Wales and West event that a team began to emerge. Ledingham then travelled to the home territory of each rider to give them an individual lesson to give him an opportunity to assess his riders. Confident of his selection, the team then travelled to Reims at the end of May to complete in a Nations Cup, in which it finished third. On their return to Ireland the squad trained under Ledingham at McKee Barracks, on Blackhorse Avenue in Dublin, the home of the Irish Army equestrian school. These were complex day-long sessions, during which the team vet, William Lalor, spent time with each of the horses. “This was very important as he then knew the horses.” Meanwhile, sports psychologist Lizzie Burcher discussed the pressure of competition with the riders.

There was a final session held at Coilog Equestrian Centre in Co Kildare, chosen because the arena there was similar in size to the one in Comporto. Little was left to chance. As Ledingham says, showjumping is a precise, highly technical sport. Attention to detail is important. “Horses are animals, not machines.”

It must have been inspiring for the young riders to be trained by an Olympic rider? Ledingham thinks not, and reckons that they were not aware of his career. He laughs on commenting that many former international riders were helping the various teams. Horses are hard to walk away from.

Ledingham retired from competition at 40. “It was the travel. I had begun competing at 16, and then joined the army to ride. But the travelling is very tough.”

He speaks of the need to find great horses, great Irish horses and points out that the mare Young Limerick, ridden by Tom Harty, is the daughter of a former Irish army international mare, Limerick. Blood always outs. Cormac Hanley’s mother Sinead won the European pony championship 27 years ago. In the same year, his father, Charles, won a team silver in the junior championship.

But the Hanleys, although owning “about 200 horses, but mainly ponies”, had to look long and hard for a horse for their son. Eventually, the right partner was found in Pageant Prince, owned by Jeff Hockley, who also bred the nine-year-old gelding. Last year at the championships, Hanley had ridden a mare, Cloon Captain, owned by Mick Quinn.

Hanley had been ill and missed the Wales and West event, but was still considered for the team. The Hanleys stress the importance of finding the right horse and the time that goes into forming a partnership. Pageant Prince was the only Irish horse to jump clear in all rounds of the championship. When he is at home, his owner rides him. Mr Hockley also travelled to Portugal for the championship and celebrated his 70th birthday watching his horse perform like a champion.

The horse selection process for Tom Harty of Waterford was very different. He did not have to look too far – Young Limerick is his mother’s horse. Whereas the Hanley family is steeped in competition history, Tom Harty’s equestrian background is far less intense.

Helen Harty laughs and says simply, “I’ve always liked horses and did a bit . But nothing too serious. Then I bought Young Limerick at the Goresbridge Sales for €2,000, I knew her mother was good.”

That “good” seems an understatement; Limerick was a great horse that served the Irish Army with distinction. “But I’m only 5ft4ins,” says Helen Harty, “and Tom is already about 6ft1in.” Irish rider Francis Connors, and Lizze Burcher were very helpful to Tom, she says.

All of the horses with the Irish team had a great deal of thoroughbred blood in their breeding. “It was important as it was very hot in Portugal and you need that thoroughbred blood,” says Ledingham.

Ledingham is regarded as one of Ireland’s finest competition riders not only for his achievements but for the quality of his riding. Many riders have benefited from his coaching and Horse Sport Ireland sees the value of having a team coach who has ridden at such a high level. He is delighted to be able to give back something to his sport and when asked about his experience at the Seoul Olympics – where his great horse Kilcoltrim, a puissance specialist, had some problems – Ledingham looks beyond what was a disappointing performance and is enthusiastic about participating in the Olympic Games. His belief makes him an effective trainer.

“These children are terrific.” There is no denying that ponies are great and that they give young riders confidence and introduce them to the enjoyment of riding and of competing – the pony classes at the RDS next week will be among the most exciting events – “but horses bring it to a different level and it really does become a test of riding.”

Ponies are born improvisers, horses need that bit extra direction. “The horse requires horsemanship, and this team has it. These riders are the future and we should celebrate them,” says Ledingham. He believes in Irish riders, “the standard is improving all the time” and as expected of a former Irish army rider, he believes in the Irish horse.

But Ledingham is also a realist and knows exactly how unique a horse needs to be to become an Olympic contender. “But the horses are there, they just need to be found.”

See them in action at the RDS

In keeping with the Royal Dublin Society's policy of improving horsemanship and horse welfare, the US "natural horsemanship" trainer Monty Roberts was invited to last year's horse show, where he gave several demonstrations involving problem horses and also, unbroken youngsters.

Caroline Jennings of Equus Ireland is his leading disciple in this country and she will have a stand at this year's show, as will Parelli instructors, Chris and Sarah Brady with their colleague Miguel Gernaey.

"People are beginning to want to be educated in natural horsemanship," says Sarah Brady. "We want to educate our horses, but firstly, we must educate ourselves in understanding the horse in his language."

Empathy and patience are ultimately far more effective than aggression in dealing with the horse, a sensitive animal possessed of consistently underestimated intelligence – and a good memory.

The Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show takes place on August 3rd to 7th. Blossom Hill Ladies' Day is Thursday, August 4th, and the Nations' Cup team competition takes place on Friday, August 5th. See dublinhorseshow.com