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.
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