Pippa & Cian O’Connor talk business strategies, working together and their love of the Dublin Horse Show

Brother and sister duo Pippa and Cian O’Connor open up about their successful, and very different, businesses in the annual Dublin Horseshow glossy magazine produced by the Irish Field newspaper which launched last week and is now available in newsagents nationwide.

The highly successful siblings are on top of their game, with Cian building the hugely successful Karlswood Stables and Pippa O’Connor Ormond taking over the world of fashion with her website, fashion factory events and most recently her POCO denim line. “IT’S just military precision and it works,” are the words the Olympic bronze medallist uses to describe the way he runs his show jumping business. While Pippa says; “You absolutely have to be into whatever you are doing, and believe it in 100% and know that it’s amazing.”

In the 122 page magazine, produced exclusively by The Irish Field for the Dublin Horseshow, Pippa even opens up about her disastrous experience working for the brother when she was in her twenties; “I am laughing because it was a bit of a disaster. I think I was about 20, Cian needed a PA and I thought I would be a good fit. I wasn’t a good PA, he would find letters and things I was supposed to post in my car a month later, I was brutal.”

Pippa goes on to say that, despite her huge success and all the strands to her Pippa brand, Cian is the one with the business acumen; “I wouldn’t say I have the savviest business mind in the world, that would be Cian, but I know what I want, and I know what works and thankfully that’s what making it such a successful business.” Cian comments that; “The big thing that I have learned over the years, and the key message would be, being busy and having huge numbers is not the measure of success. Quickly you learn in horses that numbers means high costs.”

Pippa and Cian’s father, Tadgh O’Connor, sold cars for a living, so entrepreneurship and a sales ability was bred into the ambitious siblings. Pippa went on to tell the magazine that her son Ollie is now obsessed with horses and will have his first visit to the Horseshow this year. Pippa did not ignore another big part of the RDS Horseshow spectacular, fashion. The glamourous businesswomen commented; “I think the fashion is a bit more creative at the horse show – you could see anything and everything, which is great. I love that people aren’t afraid to experiment and show their personality. That’s what style and fashion is all about, not being afraid or sticking to a trend, it’s about showing your personality through your clothes, and whatever that is, doing it with confidence. For me, that’s what stands out.”

The Dublin Horseshow Magazine is on sale this week and also features;

• Pastures New: Ireland’s top ranked show jumper Bertram Allen (21) and his sister April (23) are branching out in the sport horse breeding season. Only in their early 20s, the Wexford siblings are now five years running their hugely successful German-based business.

• Rio Olympian and vendor of Ireland’s most expensive sport horse, the €10m MHS Going Global, Greg Broderick, talks about his horses and expanding yard and why Ireland needs to up its game to cater to the world’s top owners

• Hickstead Calling: Top show jumper Shane Breen and his wife Chloe, director and owner of Hickstead, talk about their lives and careers at one of the world’s most iconic showgrounds.

• Top RDS team: The RDS has its own top team running the world famous Dublin Horse Show. RDS President Bernie Brennan and RDS Show Director Pat Hanly talk about the importance of the Show to every corner of Ireland.

Speaking about the magazine, Editor Isabel Hurley said; “We are just weeks away from one of the greatest Horse Shows on earth, here on our doorstep in the heart of our capital city. Spinning off almost €50m into the Irish economy – an incredible €10m a day – the iconic Dublin Horse Show is one of Ireland’s best loved events. Combining top show jumping action such as the famous Aga Khan Nations Cup, the hugely popular Puissance wall jumping and the Longines Dublin Grand Prix with fashion, children’s ponies and fun, our Dublin Horse Show magazine has it all and showcases the €700m Irish Sport Horse industry which creates vital rural employment to the tune of over 13,000 jobs across every tiny parish in Ireland.”

For further information on this interview and The Irish Field Dublin Horse Show Magazine or to request an interview with Editor Isabel Hurley, please contact Maeve Barry at mbarry@theirishfield.ie or call 087 6464075.