Trish and Mike Ryan have been regular contributors to Eventing Nation, sending us helmet cams and virtual course walks from events all over Europe. Today, Mike shares his thoughts on making the Irish Olympic Eventing team. We congratulate Donegan Ryan Eventing on their success and wish Mike Ryan the best of luck at the London Olympics.
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Michael Ryan and Ballylynch Adventure, photo courtesy of Donegan Ryan Eventing
From Mike Ryan:
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It’s been a long road, but it was well worth the wait!
Yesterday I got the good news that myself and Ballylynch Adventure will take our place on the Irish Team that will represent Ireland in the sport of Eventing at the London Olympics.
It is the greatest honour to represent your country at the Olympics. I have been to the European Championships and the World Championships but nothing compares to this. The whole family have put in so much work and I am indebted to everyone who played a part in getting me there. I was short-listed for the last Olympics but an injury hammered my efforts on that occasion. All was not lost as my wife Trish went instead of me. I have great support, especially from the owners of the horse Tom and Carol Henry. This will be the second time that one of their horses from the Donegan Ryan stable has represented Ireland at the Olympics.
I was delighted to hear that Denis Lynch was also confirmed as one of the showjumping riders as we were both in the same class in school. We have a great team in both eventing and showjumping and hopefully we will bring back some medals.
The Olympics was the one that was missing of my list of events and now I will get the chance to represent my country at the highest level. My wife Trish is very supportive, and the fact that she has been there twice, she knows the pressures that I will face.
Horse Sport Ireland has put in place a great team that are there to help us along the way. Their support and the training which they organised have really put us in a stronger position.
My horse Ballylynch Adventure is a twelve year-old gelding by Don Juan De La Bouverie and out of Stanman Girl. I have been campaigning the horse since 2008 and we quickly moved up the grades, competing confidently at three star level in 2009. My most memorable win was sixth place in the FEI World Cup qualifier at Gatcombe in 2010.
Over the next few weeks we will take in a bit more training as well as working on the fitness level.
The other riders confirmed are Aoife Clarke (Master Crusoe), Mark Kyle (Coolio) Joseph Murphy (Electric Cruise), and Camilla Speirs (Portersize Just a Jiff). First Reserve Capt Geoff Curran (Shanaclough Crecora) and second reserve Sam Watson (Horseware Bushman)
The seven selected horses are all Irish Sport Horses.
The Eventing competition at the games takes place from July 27th to July 31st.
Interviewing the Irish Eventing Team: http://youtu.be/BqCFU-rNPcE
Individual Interviews:
Michael Ryan : http://youtu.be/XLa0HcSIdeI
Aoife Clarke: http://youtu.be/EQoIL2WUX0k
Mark Kyle: http://youtu.be/dUrWIXs8EAA
Camilla Speirs: http://youtu.be/lJ9mW-vhYUY
Joseph Murphy : http://youtu.be/0yThqRb7aR4
Ginny Elliot: http://youtu.be/GVl5taJmjpA
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Ride along with Mike Ryan and his Olympic mount Ballylynch Adventure at the Ballindenisk CCI***
