Finally, we couldn’t resist asking him why he chose Horse Pilot. "The best products. The most comfortable. The most modern. The materials are high-performance and look great. Now I just need to lose a bit more weight to go down a size!"
Pilot humor?
Bronze medalist in the individual at the London Olympic Games in 2012, Cian O’Connor is one of the pillars of the Irish show jumping team. Regularly on international podiums, our Irish Pilot shares the keys to his latest successes.
Any particular advice for young Pilots?
Cian is clear. "Work in advance. Set a goal and work accordingly. Establish a plan, a competition strategy. Everything is in the details. With horses, you will certainly rely more on plan B or C, but the main thing is to stick to the goal. And it will work."
After his injury in April, the Irish rider decided to adopt a completely different lifestyle. "Become more athletic. That was my goal during my recovery period. I was helped by combining a fitness program with a completely different way of living. I lost weight and became stronger. I can never thank enough the whole team around me during those moments, who looked after the physical and mental well-being of my horses."
A new way of seeing things
Now, Cian sees things differently. "I only have five or six horses in Europe, just like the young American riders I train. This allows for more individual and in-depth work. We really focus on the details. My lifestyle change helped, but it’s mainly about being able to concentrate on the horses without getting overwhelmed. Having a very large string of horses is not necessarily a sign of success. Sometimes you have to step back and focus on what really matters. In my opinion, it is thanks to this approach that my year has been more successful than previous ones."
Recently, Cian visited the legendary Aachen stadium with his teammates. "A fantastic event. It is a competition we prepare for extensively. Riders and horses are in Olympic form." All three horses at his side performed well. Wins for Copain du Perchet Ch and Callisto, a phenomenal Good Luck with double clear rounds in the Prix d’Europe and tenth in the Rolex Grand Prix.
In short, a team on cloud nine, rewarded for all the effort they put in daily.
And what about the upcoming European Championships?
"I think Rodrigo Pessoa [coach of the Irish team] is doing a great job. Bringing us together, making us work hand in hand: a true team spirit has developed thanks to him. We have good riders and good horses in Ireland. All the elements are in place for the Championships to go as well as possible. Bertram, Denis, Shane and I will give our best together."
