Horse Sport Ireland Podcast

The equestrian industry faces the challenge of continually producing top-tier athletes while ensuring the foundation of high-quality coaching is consistently maintained at every level, from grassroots to high performance. Without a solid system, the development of both horse and rider talent risks becoming inconsistent and insufficient to meet industry demand.This episode dives into how the Horse Sport Ireland coaching pathways provide a long-lasting legacy of high-quality training. It explores the current structure, the shift from pure instruction to athlete-centred coaching, the crucial importance of a supportive peer network, and the essential role of coaching in rider safety and motivation. Listeners will gain insight into the vision for maintaining and improving coaching standards for the future of Irish equestrianism.Joining host Melanie Young are John Bagnall, the Education, Coaching and Training Manager at Horse Sport Ireland, and Joanne Jarden, an HSI Level Three Eventing Coach and tutor with extensive involvement across all coaching levels.Listen to the full episode on Horse Sport Ireland Podcast - search "Horse Sport Ireland" on your podcast appTHINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTHSI coaching pathway vision and structureMoving from instruction to athlete-centred coachingValue of peer networks for coach developmentImportance of safety in a high-risk sportFuture plans for CPD and Level 3 coursesGUESTS DETAILSJohn Bagnall is the Education, Coaching and Training Manager at Horse Sport Ireland. He is responsible for getting the HSI coaching pathway system operational and maintaining its high standard. Joanne Jarden is an HSI Level Three Eventing Coach and tutor, and a former Irish International Event Rider who competed to 5-Star level. She has also progressed through the Dressage Judges Exams up to List 1 Grand Prix Judging and coaches across all disciplines, helping to progress new coaches through the HSI Coaching Program.Connect with John & Joanne:John Bagnall Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/john-bagnall-47433922/Joanne Jarden Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-jarden-a11a4b33/MORE INFORMATIONHorse Sport Ireland is the national governing body for equestrian sport and the sport horse industry in Ireland, overseeing disciplines and high-performance teams, regulating athletes and horses, issuing equine passports and maintaining studbooks, and supporting breeders through national breeding services and coaching programmes.https://www.horsesportireland.ie/ This podcast was produced by dustpod.ioQUOTESWe produce top quality athletes through focus on supporting coaches and to meet the demand of the industry. -  John BagnallYou are the important foundation. If the foundation isn't right, the whole building falls down - Joanne JardenWe're moving from away from that instruction process to understand and getting the athletes to understand the movements, understand the feel the influence that has on the horse and the relationship with the horse. -  John BagnallI say that rider is out on that course, on their own. You are not standing by the fence... They have to be involved. They have to be involved in their own learning and their own instruction to the horse.  - Joanne JardenKEYWORDS: #EquestrianCoaching #HSICoachingPathway #HorseSportIreland #GrassrootsDevelopment #RiderSafety

Mary Walsh chairs RDA Ireland—nearly 60 years, 40 groups, 400 riders weekly, zero paid executives, volunteer-led providing riding/therapy to adults/children with challenges. From beginning with the organisation 30 years ago, progressed from volunteer to area rep to welfare officer (delivers Sport Ireland safeguarding) to chairperson.Also Michael Fox whose autistic son Leo (no family horse background) seeing quick results—20-message text exchange never texted before, writing poetry school, saying feels "calm" on Henry never used that term, holding cabbage for Henry despite severe ARFID requiring covering vegetables at the supermarket. Listen to the full episode on Horse Sport Ireland Podcast - search "Horse Sport Ireland" on your podcast appKeywords: #equineTherapy #RDAIreland #horseHeartbeat #autismSupport #volunteerImpactTHINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTHorse's heartbeat synchronises with rider's creating zen calming effect for everyoneSix year old profoundly autistic non-verbal girl now sleeping talking after sessionsLeo holding cabbage for Henry overcoming ARFID food phobia through horse feedingForty groups, four hundred riders, nearly sixty years, zero paid executivesSponsor rider two hundred euros yearly enabling secondary school improved centre accessGUEST DETAILSMary Walsh is Chairperson of RDA Ireland, a volunteer-led organization operating nearly 60 years providing riding therapy to 400 riders weekly across 40 groups with zero paid executives.Founding member of Cavan group 30 years ago, she progressed from volunteer to area rep to welfare officer (delivers Sport Ireland safeguarding courses) before becoming chairperson. Her most powerful story: a six-year-old profoundly autistic non-verbal girl who never slept one night in six years now sleeps every night, talks, and wears a bobbin after RDA sessions—transforming her exhausted single mother's life completely.CONNECT WITH MARYRDA Ireland: rdaireland.orgInstagram and Facebook: Search RDA IrelandInteractive map on website showing 40 centres nationwideVolunteer, donate, or sponsor a rider (€200/yearMORE INFORMATIONHorse Sport Ireland is the national governing body for equestrian sport and the sport horse industry in Ireland, overseeing disciplines and high-performance teams, regulating athletes and horses, issuing equine passports and maintaining studbooks, and supporting breeders through national breeding services and coaching programmes.https://www.horsesportireland.ie/ This podcast was produced by dustpod.ioQUOTESQuote 1: The horse's heartbeat and theirs synchronises, so that's actually very calming for them. Even if I have a volunteer walking beside or leading a horse, the same thing happens, and you're just so zen. It's so good." - Mary WalshQuote 2 : "We have a little girl, six, profoundly autistic, rolled around the muck in the yard on the first day. This girl is six. She has never slept one night in six years.' After three sessions with us, she's sleeping three nights. After another few sessions, sleeping every night. Her mom grabs me crying: 'You cannot believe I've slept for the first time in six years.' - Mary WalshQuote 3: "So much happened in such a short space of time after he started equine therapy. My sister in law received a really long text exchange from him, maybe 20 messages. I hadn't even known him to send any text messages apart from game screenshots. - Michael FoxQuote 4: "He's got ARFID—avoidant resistant food intake disorder. Extremely limited diet, almost a fear of foods. He won't touch vegetables. If we're in the supermarket, we have to separate them and cover them. But he will hold it when he's feeding Henry. To be able to cross that barrier that allows him to hold a piece of cabbage, a carrot, because it's for Henry, all of a sudden it's not a problem anymore. You would never think that horse riding would be a route to help him deal with a fear of certain foods." - Michael Fox

What does it take to bounce back from major disappointment and win a five star just weeks later? Four-time Olympian Austin O'Connor joins host Melanie Young to discuss resilience, strategic decision-making, and the team behind his success with top horse Colorado Blue. From comparing four different Olympic experiences to explaining why Burghley 2024 required choosing five-star competition over European Championships, Austin provides honest insights into elite eventing. We also hear from Francesca Denning, his competition groom, about the behind-the-scenes work that makes championship performances possible—from quarantine logistics to keeping a grey horse pristine white.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTHow resilience is the strongest word in sport The evolution of four Olympic experiences from Sydney to Paris Why Colorado Blue's temperament and competitive heart make him exceptional The vital role of competition groom Francesca Denning  Strategic decision-making around targeting five stars versus team championshipsGUEST DETAILSAustin O'Connor is a four-time Irish Olympic eventing rider who has represented Ireland at Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024. Austin grew up in a dealing and riding school environment in County Cork, which led him naturally into eventing, particularly drawn by the adrenaline of cross country. His top horse, Colorado Blue (known as "Salty"), was born in County Limerick and is sired by Jagermell out of a proven dam line. Austin is known for his strategic approach to competition planning and his close-knit team approach, including his wife Amy and competition groom Francesca Denning.Francesca Denning is Austin O'Connor's competition groom for Colorado Blue, a role she's held since Tokyo 2020. She previously worked for Austin early in her career after university and spent several years grooming for Lucy Jackson, where she developed her competition grooming expertise. MORE INFORMATIONHorse Sport Ireland is the national governing body for equestrian sport and the sport horse industry in Ireland, overseeing disciplines and high-performance teams, regulating athletes and horses, issuing equine passports and maintaining studbooks, and supporting breeders through national breeding services and coaching programmes. https://www.horsesportireland.ie/ This podcast was produced by dustpod.ioQUOTESYou know that's sport. There's certainly more downs than ups at the end of the day. Yeah, we did have to pick ourselves up. - Austin O'ConnorParis and Versailles was probably the most special. The setting, the French crowds and everything just made that extremely special. It was as close to playing in Old Trafford as you get in the eventing world. It felt like a new beginning really, getting there with a great group of riders. - Austin O'ConnorThe strongest word in sport is resilience. If you don't have it, you're not going anywhere. You just sort of pick yourself up and look forward or go and get a different job. - Austin O'ConnorKEYWORDS#eventing #Olympics #horsesport #resilience #fivestar

Horse breeding demands massive financial investment and years of patience before seeing any return, making it one of the most challenging aspects of equestrian sport.Ballypatrick Stables has cracked the code on successful breeding operations, producing 60-70 foals annually through innovative embryo transfer techniques. In this podcast, we’ll discover the critical importance of starting with quality mares, the strategic decision-making behind retaining versus selling young horses, and how X-ray evaluations can identify future champions early. Our guest Cheryl Broderick, Ireland's leading breeder and co-owner of Ballypatrick Stables, reveals insider secrets about breeding for international markets, the role of young horse classes in development, and how proper teamwork between breeding and sporting operations creates a winning formula.We also speak with Ballypatrick rider Niamh McEvoy about her rise to National Champion status and five-star success at Dublin Horse Show.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTBreeding and Business of Ballypatrick StablesDevelopment of Breeding FacilitiesStrategies and Market DemandsTraining and Development of Young HorsesBreeding InitiativesGUEST DETAILSCheryl Broderick is the head of the breeding department at Ballypatrick Stables in Thurles, County Tipperary. She has been at the helm of the breeding operation for many years overseeing all aspects from embryo transfers to the mares' foaling season. Ballypatrick has been in the Broderick family for five generations and Cheryl works alongside her brother Greg Broderick, an Olympic show jumper and coach. Niamh McEvoy is a 20-year-old Irish showjumper who has been working full-time at Ballypatrick Stables for three years. Niamh has quickly risen to become one of Ireland's most promising young equestrian talents.MORE INFORMATIONFind details on a range of government-funded initiatives available in 2025 to support Irish sport horse breeders, owners, and producers at all stages of equine development at this page on our website.https://www.horsesportireland.ie/initiatives/breeding-grants-schemes/This podcast was produced by dustpod.ioQUOTESThere is a whole big catalogue from the best mares in the world. If you get a filly or buy into a yearling and start that way, the first investment will be the hardest, but she will repay you down the road. – Cheryl BroderickWe breed an average of 60 to 70 folds a year. Very few of our own mares carry their own foals, it's mostly based on embryo transfer.  There are a lot of different dynamics in the in the breeding business now. – Cheryl BroderickI have 62 frozen embryos in the tank from our best mares and some of those could give you several frozen embryos in one season. – Cheryl BroderickKEYWORDS#Breeding #embryo #mares #BallypatrickStables #pedigrees #stallions #equestrian 

Recorded live at the 2025 Dublin Horse Show, this fast-moving special podcast drops you right at ringside. Enjoy exclusive behind the scenes chats with riders, managers, course designers and the crew who make the show happen. Catch up with competition winning riders, hear what it takes to ride with the best, and immerse yourself in all of the buzz of one of the biggest days in the Irish Horse Sport Calendar.Things we learned from this episode●      Team success starts with honest feedback ●      Developing talent means keeping it at home●      Behind-the-scenes crews are the show’s backbone●      Course design is about fairness, not flash●      Helping to breed the future of Irish racing talent GUEST DETAILS·       Denis Lynch – One of Ireland’s most experienced show jumpers, fresh from leading the Aga Khan team as pathfinder and always ready with honest insights on team performance and horse breeding.·       Debbie Byrne – Eventing High Performance Manager, steering Ireland’s young-horse pipeline with a focus on clear targets and keeping top talent in the country.·       John Kyle – International commentator whose voice is as much a part of Dublin as the ring itself, offering both behind-the-booth prep and seasoned perspective.·       Kim Hendricks  – The unsung hero in the stable, keeping horses happy, healthy, and ready to deliver double clears under pressure.·       Tom Wachman – Rising Irish show jumping talent making his Aga Khan debut, blending youthful energy with the precision of the Carlswood system.·       Simone Hession – Para High Performance Manager, guiding Ireland’s para riders with a mix of coaching expertise and strategic leadership.·       Paddy Gately – International Stable Manager, the man behind the stabling logistics that keep the whole show running smoothly.·       Alan Wade – One of the world’s top course designers, crafting fair but challenging tracks that bring out the best in riders and horses.·       Laura Kraut, Grand Prix Winner – Laura is the newly crowned champion at Dublin, sharing the thrill of a perfectly timed campaign paying off in the ring. MORE INFORMATIONCheck out horsesportireland.ie  QUOTES “Honest feedback is the quickest way to make a good rider great.” — Denis Lynch“We’re not just building riders—we’re building a system that keeps talent in Ireland.” — Debbie Byrne“A course should test you, not trap you.” — Alan Wade“The grooms win their own kind of medals every day.” — Kim Hendricks“In Dublin, you don’t just show up—you peak.” — Laura Kraut