SALLY CORSCADDEN: “We are becoming a power nation”

Co. Down’s Clare Abbott and Euro Price (ISH) finished best of the Irish riders at the 2019 Badminton Horse Trials, when finishing in 12th place

As part of Horse Sport Ireland’s new Blog, STABLE TALK, Horse Sport Ireland Eventing High-Performance Director, Sally Corscadden gives readers an insight into the sport of eventing and her role and responsibilities as Director.

Badminton Horse Trials 2019 was a fantastic event of the highest level and I would like to thank our management team and all the Irish supporters for helping the team through the ups and downs of competition. There was a lovely atmosphere at our Horse Sport Ireland Riders, Owners, Sponsors and Supporters Reception at Badminton on Friday evening, which was kindly made possible by Nick and Mandy Boyle of Lightsource. It is great to have opportunities like that, for everyone to connect and for Horse Sport Ireland to thank the teams of people who support Team Ireland Equestrian – as we all know this sport cannot happen without support!

A packed Light Source marquee by the Badminton lake for the Horse Sport Ireland riders, sponsors, supporters and owners reception

Horse Sport Ireland also had a trade stand at Badminton, which we were delighted to share with, generous sponsors of the Team Ireland Equestrian youth teams, GAIN Equine Nutrition. The trade stand was busy all week with lots of queries from breeders, owners and supporters – it’s a great way for Horse Sport Ireland to promote equestrian sport and breeding in Ireland.

Ciaran Glynn and November Night made light work of Eric Winter’s 2019 Badminton cross country course

And, there were some great Irish performances – by Clare [Abbott] and Euro Prince (ISH), Ciaran [Glynn] and November Night (ISH), Mike [Ryan] and Dunlough Striker (ISH). For Team Ireland to have three riders finish in the top 20 of a world class field shows we are becoming a power nation. Obviously, it was disappointing for Padraig [McCarthy] to have to withdraw Mr Chunky but he’ll be back for another day and it was disappointing too for Jim [Newsam] after Magennis’ good cross country round.

As expected, Badminton provided a tough cross country course – Horse Sport Ireland’s investment in cross country training is showing dividends with very consistent results and it was very pleasing to see how professional our riders  performed in both jumping phases, this gives us a great boost for the future.

Sally

Horse Sport Ireland Eventing High-Performance Director

ABOUT SALLY CORSCADDEN:

Sally Corscadden was born in Leicestershire and moved to Ireland in 1988, where she met her husband Brendan and set up the now well-known and highly-regarded equestrian training facility that is Grange Farm.

Like many young equestrian enthusiasts, growing up Sally was an active member of the Pony Club, actively participating in everything from mounted games to hunter trials. She also enjoyed foxhunting and followed one of the UK’s most famous hunting packs, the Quorn Hunt of which her father was a member. It wasn’t until the age of 18 that Sally took up the sport of eventing.

Throughout her career as an international rider, Sally won events such as the CIC 3* at Thirlestane Castle, the final trial for the British and Irish European team in 1993, she also recorded wins in CCI’s at Ballindenisk and Blarney. At the 1993 European Championships in Achselschwang, Germany Sally was on the bronze medal-winning team and also placed individual 12th. Sally competed at the 1994 World Equestrian Games in the Hague, Netherlands where her team finished fifth.

Sally’s coaching career began shortly after the 1994 World Equestrian Games, when she became High Performance Coach to the Irish Junior Eventing Team who went on to win the team silver medal at the 1995 Junior European Championships in Gotland, Sweden. Sally also coached the Irish junior and pony teams that won team gold and team bronze at the European Championships in  2008 and 2015 respectively.

Sally became High Performance Manager and Chef d’Equipe of the Irish Young Rider Squad in 2011 and in her first year Irish riders claimed the Team Silver Medal and Individual Bronze Medal at the Young Rider European Championships at Blair Castle, Scotland.

Sally is now the Eventing High-Performance Director at Horse Sport Ireland and manages the Senior Irish Eventing Team who won team and individual silver at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina and became the first Irish sports team to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.