Six new HSI Level 3 Coaches in Two Disciplines – Students Excel

Following the final assessments of the HSI Level 3 Coach course earlier this month, students of the two newly qualified HSI Level 3 Show Jumping coaches produced superb performances last weekend. Both Barry O’Connor from Malahide, Co. Dublin and Johnny O’Connell from Dundalk, Co. Louth have now successfully completed all elements of the course and now hold the coveted HSI Level 3 Show Jumping Coach title. It was a fantastic weekend for students of the pair with Johnny O’Connell’s student Anabelle Heffron claiming top spot in the Children on Horses Grand Prix in Hagen aboard the Irish Sport Horse, Porscha. Philip McGuane, trained by Barry O’Connor also finished 6^th in a very competitive CSI2* Grand Prix at Bolesworth International Horse Show aboard the Beat Mändli owned Judas Vd Donkhoeve.

The HSI Level 3 Eventing Coach course also concluded earlier this month with the final assessments which took place at Tattersalls International Horse Trials. The assessments ran on cross country day (Saturday), throughout which coaches underwent a three-part assessment. Coaches were assessed on their analysis of the CCI3* track, horse and rider performance analysis and international participation at 3* Eventing level.  Four coaches were successful in this final assessment and now hold their HSI Level 3 Eventing Coach qualification. They are; Gerald Bloomer and Louise Bloomer from Wicklow, Joanne Jarden from Antrim and Louise Lyons from Kilkenny.

The HSI Level 3 Coach course aims to provide coaches with the capacities to train performance riders to compete at the highest level in regional and national competitions. The Eventing section of the course was delivered by internationally renowned Eventing coaches Yogi Breisner and Jonathan Chapman. The Show Jumping section of the course was delivered by Level 3 coaches Comdt. John Ledingham and Denis Flannelly. Coaches continued their own professional development throughout the course duration on their own time, working with tutors and mentors, polishing their skills before presenting for final assessment.

The Level 3 Show Jumping and Eventing Coach courses kicked off in November 2015 along with the dressage coach candidates. The dressage coach course concluded in January 2017 with final assessments at Hartpury College in the UK. Successful candidates from the dressage specific course include Gerald Bloomer from Co. Wicklow who is now the only coach in Ireland to hold a Level 3 Coach qualification in both Dressage and Eventing.

Speaking after their student’s impressive performances last weekend, the Level 3 Show Jumping coaches had this to say;

“From a coaching perspective, the key ingredients to our success in Hagen were forward planning, good management and consistent training. This led to both horse and rider arriving on the day both mentally and physically prepared to be competitive. The HSI Level 3 Show Jumping course covers all of these aspects of coaching and has definitely helped me to become a more effective competition coach”.
Johnny O’Connell, HSI Level 3 Show Jumping Coach

“I found the HSI Level 3 course very helpful in improving my communication and effectiveness as a show jumping coach. The mentors I worked with were very professional in their approach to the overall business of coaching and the mental training of the rider. This was the area that I found most useful to my own coaching.”
Barry O’Connor, HSI Level 3 Show Jumping Coach