Show Notes
When life throws its toughest challenges, true champions find a way to rise. Trevor Breen’s story is one of resilience, grit, and the unwavering support that fuels extraordinary comebacks. Trevor and his wife Caroline take us on an emotional journey from a devastating fall at the Hamburg Grand Prix—where he suffered a broken and dislocated neck and back. Some brilliant insights you’ll gain from this episode include: A champion’s mentality that helped Trevor return to competition after a catastrophic injury Behind-the-scenes details of professional show jumping The logistics of competing internationally Key turning points in Trevor’s career, from amateur rider to elite show jumper Practical safety advice for riders at all levels, including Trevor’s adoption of the Air vest
Trevor also shares the physical and psychological battles of his recovery and we hear Caroline’s experience managing Breen Sport Horses, along with exciting plans for upcoming competitions. With honesty, vulnerability, and a champion’s mindset, their story is one you won’t want to miss. GUEST DETAILS Trevor Breen has ridden nationally and internationally all his life to great success. With selections for The European Championships, Nations Cup Finals, and GCL Teams amongst other Irish National & International teams, and being longlisted for London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Trevor has had a consistently successful career on the international show jumping scene, winning on huge stages in The UAE, as well as CSI5* wins in London, Dublin, and Hickstead, and riding for Ireland on numerous winning Nations Cups. Caroline Breen shares the passion for show jumping, achieving wins on the national and international circuit. She has trained with accomplished figures in British Showjumping, such as Tim Stockdale, and plays a crucial role in producing the young horses, training clients and overseeing all aspects of the business management. https://breensporthorses.co.uk/ MORE INFORMATION Check out horsesportireland.ie Horse Sport Ireland Podcast is produced by DustPod.io QUOTES It's the first fall that I haven't walked away from in my whole life. - Trevor Breen I knew it was serious as soon as I saw him. - Caroline Breen There was only one horse I was riding, and that was Highland President. The whole show nearly came to a standstill when I went in. - Trevor Breen He's come back into the sport very mentally strong as well, which is obviously so important for an athlete. - Caroline Breen I have had a serious injury, and if I’ve got something that can help protect me if I do fall again, which I'm sure I will, why not use it? - Trevor Breen He's quite strong, he fights for me in the ring, but he also fights against me. - Trevor Breen KEYWORDS #Horsesport #TrevorBreen #HamburgGrandPrix #injuryrecovery #showjumping #equestrian #HighlandPresident #Airvest #NationsCup
More from Horse Sport Ireland Podcast
Achieving elite performance in equestrian sport requires a strategic, holistic approach, planning years in advance to ensure the right blend of training, physical fitness, and mental resilience is in place for both horse and rider. The Horse Sport Ireland High Performance Programmes are engineered to meet this immense challenge, developing a deep, sustainable pipeline of talent from youth ranks through to the senior international stage. This episode provides an essential insight into the critical non-riding training required for high performance athletes, the importance of classical training methods, and the collaborative excitement for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle. Host Melanie Young is joined by two key leaders in Irish equestrian sport: Anne Marie Dunphy, the High Performance Manager for Senior and Youth Dressage, and Simone Hession, the High Performance Manager for Para Dressage. Anne Marie is a Level 3 Dressage Coach and former international Grand Prix rider, while Simone is an HSI Level 2 Coach and a competitor of Irish-bred horses up to Grand Prix level. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Co-hosted athlete seminar for LA roadmap Non-riding training: media and mindset Anne Marie's journey: athlete to coach Building team strength for European, Olympic selection Youth and Para Dressage squad development GUESTS DETAILS Anne Marie Dunphy and Simone Hession are High Performance Managers at Horse Sport Ireland. Anne Marie is responsible for the Senior and Youth Dressage programmes, drawing on her experience as an international Grand Prix rider and Level 3 Coach to foster a strong youth-to-senior transition. Simone leads the Para Dressage programme, using her background as an HSI Level 2 Coach and competitive rider to focus on team support, development, and athlete communication. Connect with Anne Maire & Simone: Anne Marie Dunphy Website: https://www.annemariedunphy.com/contact Simone Hession Email: Email:[email protected] MORE INFORMATION Horse Sport Ireland is the national governing body for equestrian sport and the sport horse industry in Ireland, overseeing disciplines and high-performance teams, regulating athletes and horses, issuing equine passports and maintaining studbooks, and supporting breeders through national breeding services and coaching programmes. https://www.horsesportireland.ie/ This podcast was produced by dustpod.io QUOTES Quote 1: The whole process of an Olympic Games, it's quite daunting when you step into it first. - Anne Marie Dunphy Quote 2 : Mindset and mental fitness is a huge aspect to sport, whichever sport you're participating in. - Simone Hession Quote 3 : The better those younger athletes get, the harder you guys at the top have to work because they'll be snapping at your heels the whole time. - Anne Marie Dunphy Quote 4 : If everyone works together and heads down the same path, you're bound to be more successful when you get to that end goal. - Simone Hession KEYWORDS: #IrishDressage #ParaDressage #HighPerformance #EquestrianCoaching #LA2028Roadmap
The equestrian industry faces the challenge of continually producing top-tier athletes while ensuring the foundation of high-quality coaching is consistently maintained at every level, from grassroots to high performance. Without a solid system, the development of both horse and rider talent risks becoming inconsistent and insufficient to meet industry demand. This episode dives into how the Horse Sport Ireland coaching pathways provide a long-lasting legacy of high-quality training. It explores the current structure, the shift from pure instruction to athlete-centred coaching, the crucial importance of a supportive peer network, and the essential role of coaching in rider safety and motivation. Listeners will gain insight into the vision for maintaining and improving coaching standards for the future of Irish equestrianism. Joining host Melanie Young are John Bagnall, the Education, Coaching and Training Manager at Horse Sport Ireland, and Joanne Jarden, an HSI Level Three Eventing Coach and tutor with extensive involvement across all coaching levels. Listen to the full episode on Horse Sport Ireland Podcast - search "Horse Sport Ireland" on your podcast app THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT HSI coaching pathway vision and structure Moving from instruction to athlete-centred coaching Value of peer networks for coach development Importance of safety in a high-risk sport Future plans for CPD and Level 3 courses GUESTS DETAILS John Bagnall is the Education, Coaching and Training Manager at Horse Sport Ireland. He is responsible for getting the HSI coaching pathway system operational and maintaining its high standard. Joanne Jarden is an HSI Level Three Eventing Coach and tutor, and a former Irish International Event Rider who competed to 5-Star level. She has also progressed through the Dressage Judges Exams up to List 1 Grand Prix Judging and coaches across all disciplines, helping to progress new coaches through the HSI Coaching Program. Connect with John & Joanne: John Bagnall Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/john-bagnall-47433922/ Joanne Jarden Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-jarden-a11a4b33/ MORE INFORMATION Horse Sport Ireland is the national governing body for equestrian sport and the sport horse industry in Ireland, overseeing disciplines and high-performance teams, regulating athletes and horses, issuing equine passports and maintaining studbooks, and supporting breeders through national breeding services and coaching programmes. https://www.horsesportireland.ie/ This podcast was produced by dustpod.io QUOTES We produce top quality athletes through focus on supporting coaches and to meet the demand of the industry. - John Bagnall You are the important foundation. If the foundation isn't right, the whole building falls down - Joanne Jarden We're moving from away from that instruction process to understand and getting the athletes to understand the movements, understand the feel the influence that has on the horse and the relationship with the horse. - John Bagnall I say that rider is out on that course, on their own. You are not standing by the fence... They have to be involved. They have to be involved in their own learning and their own instruction to the horse. - Joanne Jarden
Mary Walsh chairs RDA Ireland—nearly 60 years, 40 groups, 400 riders weekly, zero paid executives, volunteer-led providing riding/therapy to adults/children with challenges. From beginning with the organisation 30 years ago, progressed from volunteer to area rep to welfare officer (delivers Sport Ireland safeguarding) to chairperson. Also Michael Fox whose autistic son Leo (no family horse background) seeing quick results—20-message text exchange never texted before, writing poetry school, saying feels "calm" on Henry never used that term, holding cabbage for Henry despite severe ARFID requiring covering vegetables at the supermarket. Listen to the full episode on Horse Sport Ireland Podcast - search "Horse Sport Ireland" on your podcast app Keywords: #equineTherapy #RDAIreland #horseHeartbeat #autismSupport #volunteerImpact
What does it take to bounce back from major disappointment and win a five star just weeks later? Four-time Olympian Austin O'Connor joins host Melanie Young to discuss resilience, strategic decision-making, and the team behind his success with top horse Colorado Blue. From comparing four different Olympic experiences to explaining why Burghley 2024 required choosing five-star competition over European Championships, Austin provides honest insights into elite eventing. We also hear from Francesca Denning, his competition groom, about the behind-the-scenes work that makes championship performances possible—from quarantine logistics to keeping a grey horse pristine white. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT How resilience is the strongest word in sport The evolution of four Olympic experiences from Sydney to Paris Why Colorado Blue's temperament and competitive heart make him exceptional The vital role of competition groom Francesca Denning Strategic decision-making around targeting five stars versus team championships
Horse breeding demands massive financial investment and years of patience before seeing any return, making it one of the most challenging aspects of equestrian sport. Ballypatrick Stables has cracked the code on successful breeding operations, producing 60-70 foals annually through innovative embryo transfer techniques. In this podcast, we’ll discover the critical importance of starting with quality mares, the strategic decision-making behind retaining versus selling young horses, and how X-ray evaluations can identify future champions early. Our guest Cheryl Broderick, Ireland's leading breeder and co-owner of Ballypatrick Stables, reveals insider secrets about breeding for international markets, the role of young horse classes in development, and how proper teamwork between breeding and sporting operations creates a winning formula. We also speak with Ballypatrick rider Niamh McEvoy about her rise to National Champion status and five-star success at Dublin Horse Show. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Breeding and Business of Ballypatrick Stables Development of Breeding Facilities Strategies and Market Demands Training and Development of Young Horses Breeding Initiatives