In particular bronze medal in individual at the Olympic Games of London in 2012, Cian O’ Connor is certainly one of the pillars of the Irish team. Regularly at the top of podiums, our Irish Horse Pilot gives us the keys of its last successes.
An advice in particular for the young pilots?
When we ask him for a council to give to the young riders, Cian is formal. « Work upstream. To set an objective to be reached then to work consequently. To establish a course of action, a plan of competitions. All is in the details. Certainly that with the horses it will rest more on plans B or C, but essence is to be held with the set objective. And that will work. »
After his wound in April, it is a very other lifestyle which decided to adopt the Irish rider. « To be more athletic. It is the objective which I set myself during my period of convalescence. One helped me there by combining a program of fitness and a very other way of living. I lost weight, I became more strong. I will never thank enough all the team which was around me during these moments and which took care of my horses. »
a new mindset
From now, it is in a different way that Cian mindsets. « I have only five or six horses in Europe, just like the American young girls whom I mentor. That allows a more individual work, more in-depth. We really are in the details. My change of lifestyle helped, but is especially to be able to concentrate on the horses, without to be overflowed. To have lots of horses is not a major sign of success. Sometimes, it is necessary to know to retrogress and to focus on the base. In my opinion, the whole of it made my year and the successes around in comparison to the preceding ones. »
Lately, it is in the middle of the mythical stadium of Aachen that went Cian and his partners. « A fantastic event. It is something for which one works enormously. The riders, the horses, everyone is in an Olympic form. » At its sides three top horses, which performed all. A victory each one for Copain du Perchet Ch and Callisto and a Good Luck « phenomenal, double cleared in the Price of Europe and a tenth place in the Rolex Grand Prix ». All in all, a team over the moon, rewarded for all the efforts which it provides everyday.
and about the european championships?
We also evoked with him the European Championships… « I think Rodrigo Pessoa made a really great job. He gathers us, make us to work hand in the hand… a true team spirit settled thanks to him. We have good riders and good horses in Ireland. All the parameters are gathered to perform there. Bertram, Denis, Shane and I will give together the best of us. »
Curious as we are, we also asked Cian why he made the choice of Horse Pilot… « The best products. Most comfortable. Most modern. The materials used are powerful and return well. I just have to lose a little more weight to pass to the lower size ! »
Pilot’s Humour ?
