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.”
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