I LIVE in Comber, Co Down. I come from a non-horsey family, so it was a shock to my parents when I announced I wanted a career in horses. I started riding when it became an option at school and got my first pony, aged 15 years old.

After breaking my back from a fall from a riding school pony, my father realised it hadn’t put me off, so the safer option seemed to be to have my own reliable pony.

At Pony Club, I failed my C test, when the examiner told me I had no feel or talent and not to repeat it. This gave me more determination to try to succeed! My favourite saying is ‘onwards and upwards’.

I gained my BHSAI, II and eventually became a BHSI.

My love for dressage came when I bought a horse at Goresbridge sales, which I intended to sell to a hunting client in England. Due to circumstances, Hails Vision, by the Irish Sport Horse stallion Hail Station, didn’t sell.

He wasn’t blood enough to event, which I was competing in at the time, but moved well. I took him to Small Tour International, the first Irish-bred horse to compete for Ireland in dressage.

I do coach riders, from kids to international riders, both dressage and eventing riders, and the occasional show jumper wanting to improve their horse’s way of going.

1. Congratulations on your The Irish Field/Gain Equine Nutrition Star of the Month award after your national dressage championships success at Ballindenisk last September. A special day at the K Club?

An amazing day and I was very honoured to be part of it.

2. As well as competing in dressage at international level, including representing Ireland at the European dressage championships, you also breed your own dressage prospects. Tell us about your breeding programme?

I started breeding for the dressage market three years ago, with two lovely mares: Hope (Easy Game x Tuchinsky) and Oh-M-Gee (Furst Romancier x Easy Game). They both have fabulous temperaments, which I feel is so important, along with good conformation and movement.

Having imported horses from Europe for many years, they were becoming so expensive that I wanted to try to breed quality stock, which would be more affordable for our future international riders.

3. Proudest breeder moment?

My oldest home-bred is Secret Agent (Fidertanz x Furst Romancier), a rising three-year-old, but I would love to see one of my foals represent Ireland in the future. Both mares have many Grand Prix sires in their genes and I choose up-and-coming stallions with good temperaments and movement. So often, we see amazing, elastic-moving horses, but their temperament lets them down in the arena.

4. How to raise the profile of Irish-bred dressage horses?

Far away fields always appear greener, but with top stallions available, with fresh and frozen semen, we can breed top horses.

My hope is that pony, junior and young riders look to the future and buy affordable youngstock to produce for their future, rather than waiting and not being able to afford that top quality horse.

In time, these youngsters will prove that Irish-bred horses can achieve great results.

5. If you could have bred any horse?

My Grand Prix horse ‘Gucci’ (Gouverneur M, by Voice) made me so proud. I bought him as a two-year-old and nothing would have made me more proud, than if he had been a home-bred.

Co Down dressage rider Carolyn Mellor, Star of the Month for September 2024, being presented by Philip Gilligan from Gain Equine Nutrition \ Lorraine O’Sullivan

6. Prefixes - your thoughts?

Prefixes certainly, in my opinion, have helped breeders to get their name and stock out into the market. The more their horses achieve great results, as seen in eventing and show jumping, the more sought-after their youngstock is.

However, it’s not always easy to carry the prefix internationally, costing quite a lot of money to add it. As for some studbooks, like the KWPN, they only allow the prefix to be added after the horse’s name, so it doesn’t have the same impact.

7. It’s been a stormy winter. Do you plan any changes to your winter regime for keeping mares/youngstock?

I like my youngstock to live out as much as possible. We have field shelters for them and feeders. We always expect storms, so have our trees cut back and inspected every year to ensure they are as safe as possible.

8. Best advice you ever got?

Take on board and listen only to people you respect and trust. Life is short, make every day count.

9. It takes a team, who’s on yours?

My team is small but mighty. My husband Adrian is my biggest support, along with a few very good friends who come to the international shows with me, or hold the fort at home while I am away. And, of course, my coaches, sponsors and my vet. I am very grateful to them all for keeping my dreams alive and kicking.

10. Sum up your journey

My competition career began as an event rider, while grooming for Irish international event riders. I never imagined that anything would replace that buzz of eventing, but after beginning the journey with Hail’s Vision, I soon realised how satisfying it was training a dressage horse to that level.

Then to move on with future horses to train them to Grand Prix was definitely a buzz and a journey I love.

Never in my wildest dreams, did I think I would represent Ireland internationally at a European championships and be national champion.

The expense to buy a dressage horse at a good level is now huge. To then fund the horse, training, travel to international competitions etc is also a lot and, with currently no financial help available towards this, my fear is for the talented younger riders. Dressage in Ireland is very much a growing sport, but for the future international riders, my hope is that they look ahead and produce their senior international dressage horse and not wait to look for it when not maybe affordable.

However, quality young horses are not cheap to breed, so a realistic budget is still required. It was the only way I could afford to do it. It’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but it’s fun and I wouldn’t have changed it.

Every horse is different and we must treat them as individuals and sometimes we must think outside the box. This is what makes it so interesting and satisfying. After 30+ years on the dressage scene, youth is not on my side, but while I can, I will.

You never stop learning!