Getting the horses to Greece

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29
Sep
2009

Shane at home

Shane Breen is an Irish showjumper. He has won numerous titles in Ireland and the UK including a European Championships silver medal. He is currently based with his wife Chloe Breen (nee Bunn) at Hickstead show ground, from where he runs Breen Equestrian. His top horses include Carmena Z and Royal Concorde. Follow him and his horses in this exclusive H&C blog.

"I am currently in Athens waiting for the start of the CSIO Nations Cup tomorrow. Myself, Alex Duffy, Nial Talbot and Nicola Fitzgibbon are on the team. We have been here for a week already as there was a CSI 2* last week. It was good to have a smaller show to get the horses used to the arena.

The logistics team, Julia and Edward, did a brilliant job of driving the horses down to Greece, allowing me to stay at home for a couple of extra days. They set off last Sunday morning and this is what Edward had to say:

“We left a dark Hickstead at 3.45am and headed to Dover followed by the yard boy David Simpson with his little friend Jack, off to Belgium to pick up his new horse.

We travelled with P&O, not because of the price... but because they do a far superior breakfast in the truckers' lounge.

We headed south, via Reims, Troyes, and Dijon, to our overnight stables at Bourg en bresse. The horses travelled really well. The French motorways were very quiet and it wasn't too hot. Plenty of drinks and a small feed during the day kept us happy, as well the horse.

A fantastic supper of spaghetti bol finished the day off. Bed by 10 for an early start and the drive to Cervia."

The ferry crossing from Cervia was 22 hours. The conditions for the horses were very good, with industrial sized fans to keep them cool.

As always when the horses are travelling, Catherine Woods does a fantastic job of looking after the horses. It is the attention to detail that she gives when she is looking after them that makes sure they arrive in top condition. It is very easy for horses to get travel sick, so it is imperative that they have plenty of rest stops to allow them to drink and urinate.

Back at home, the lads went Eventing at Ardingly. Lucy Bunn took a very promising home-bred mare. This was only her second event, and all things considered they did very well. Her dressage test was much improved but this time her jumping let her down. Not what you would expect from a show jumper! She was clear cross country, bar a few time faults. Lucy was delighted when Pippa Funnell commented on what a lovely mare her horse was. Sue Bunn also had a couple of home-bred youngsters on the lorry, well ridden by Brian Cassidy who narrowly missed out on a ribbon with his own Electric Royale – time faults again. It is quite tricky to adjust to the speed needed for cross country when you have spent your career in the show jumping ring.

On Sunday it was back to jumping with a trip to Royal Leisure for the youngsters. It is so important to give the younger horses plenty of experience without putting them under any pressure. Many an hour is spent at Royal Leisure during the winter slowly bringing the horses up through the grades.

The show in Athens finishes on Saturday. The horses will be on the ferry on Sunday lunchtime, so if all things go according to plan they will be home by Wednesday evening. I’m heading off to HOYS before they get back, taking Dorada, Royal Concorde and Mullaghdrin Gold Rain. Camblin has qualified for the Grade C final with me and David is also riding him in the Young Riders final. It’s great to get an invite to one of the UK’s leading shows. Touch wood, I usually have a good show at Birmingham, so fingers crossed!"