IT’s refreshing to hear one of Ireland’s leading event riders say that he is interested in teaching Pony Club, because he would like to give something back.

Ian Cassells was named leading rider at Eventing Ireland Nationals and Home Internationals in 2024, earning 308 points on Irish soil. He amassed an amazing 528 points throughout his exceptional 2024 season.

Last summer, he rode Millridge Atlantis to be part of the victorious team in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup at Millstreet, and was also on the team that took third place in CHIO Aachen. While, at the young horse world championships in Lion d’Angers, he and Bridget McGing’s home-bred Inquisitor finished in the top-10, and he also finished in 14th place with Greenogue Gigi (owned and bred by Con McCarthy).

Earlier this week, Ian attended the Irish Horse World Awards at The K Club to collect his Star of the Month award for the month of July.

“I’m not from a ‘horsey’ family. I’ve been lucky; I’m from Newcastle in Dublin and my dad is a dairy farmer, so I’ve been able to build a business on the farm,” Cassells told The Irish Field.

“Starting off, I just did riding school. Then I got a couple of my own ponies. I went to Jane Foley’s in Castlewarden and that got me going. I was a member of Newcastle Lyons Pony Club and went on to do a good bit of hunting with the South County Junior hunt, and ended up becoming a Master of their junior hunt.

“The Pony Club was a great foundation. It was a great community of people. It was very family-oriented and everyone looked out for each other. That close-knit group definitely encouraged my love for horses and taught me true horsemanship. Being around people your own age and that bit of competitiveness. I think it’s a great way for kids to start.

Ireland won the CCI4*S Nations Cup at Millstreet in 2024. Pictured (l-r) Ian Cassells, Patrick Whelan, Jennifer Kuehnle, Robbie Kearns with chef d'equipe Dag Albert \ Tadhg Ryan / Bit-Media

Business

“As things went on, I began to get a few more ponies from other people and produced them a bit up through the grades and started with Eventing Ireland.

“I didn’t really have a pony good enough for teams etc, but when I moved into horses Neill Prendergast, who I still ride for now, gave me a good horse, Woodend Garfield. In 2012, we were part of the Irish team who competed at the Junior European Eventing Championships in Strzegom, Poland.

“Unfortunately, he suffered an injury going cross-country, he broke his pastern and had to be put down. It was really sad. He was a great horse for me, but it did make me realise that horses are what I really wanted to do, and it made me a better horseman, I think. It made me see that the welfare of the horse is always the priority and also helped me see that horses were a business as such.

“I went to college and did Agricultural Science in UCD. During my five years in college, I always had a few horses at home.”

Ian was captain and president of the UCD Equestrian Club and a member of Irish Universities’ Riding Clubs’ Association (IURCA) representing Europe and America. During his time within the association, Ian won the world finals twice individually and has also been a member of the Irish team, who have won this accolade twice.

He was also awarded the George Mernagh Bursary, which offers support to successful applicants and aims to help them in such aspects as course designing/building, competing and instructing, to develop or further establish their career in the eventing industry.

“I started to get a few owners along the way and did some work experience with George Russell,” Cassells continued.

“At that time, I was lucky enough to buy a horse named Carrick Jewel and we finished in third or fourth at the big two-star at Tattersalls and then, after that, she stepped up and did a few three-stars. When she retired, I started breeding a few from her.

“I’ve done a lot of breaking and training for my neighbour Dan McSorley (breeder of Banbridge, who won the Champion Chase in Punchestown recently). It’s been great to work with him. It’s really helped me with working with youngsters and with being able to get that ‘cross-country seat’.

Ian Cassells riding Inquisitor to a top-10 finish at the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championship for Young Horses at Le Lion \ Pam Cunningham/Irish Eventing Times

Infrastructure

“Once I was finished college, I began to try to expand the yard and we now have 17 boxes and all-weather turnout and a 65x35 arena. Slowly but surely, I’m trying to put in the best infrastructure I can to try and run a successful business.

“My head girl Leanne Foster has been with me for three and a half years now, so she is a valuable support to me. We have progressed and learned together from bringing five-year-olds all the way through to their first five-star.

“We have 16 in work from four-year-olds to five-star. I have Master Point, owned by his breeder Bridget McGing; he is an Irish Sport Horse gelding, which I have produced since making his eventing debut at 90cm level in April 2018. He has done three five-stars now. The aim is hopefully to do Badminton with him in the spring.

“I also have Millridge Atlantis; he was part of the teams that placed in Aachen and won Millstreet, and he was the highest placed Irish at Pau. We will aim him at the European Championships this year.

“I’ve a few nice youngsters, a few good four-year-olds and a talented seven and eight-year-old that have just come in. Nuala McDonald owns the seven-year-old, which will hopefully be aimed at Le Lion this year. He is foreign-bred, but really moves and really jumps, so I’m excited to work with him.

“I have six or seven horses at four-star level plus now with different owners - Nuala Prendergast, Dick Murphy, Francis Corkery, Gerry Leahy and Bridget McGing. They have been fantastic supporters of mine since the beginning, theirs are horses I’ve produced right up the levels from the beginning. I’m really grateful to all of them that they had the faith in me to produce these lovely horses.

“We do our dressage training with Kevin Acres from Greenogue. He is a valuable member of the team. He helps when I am away at shows, he rides some of them on the flat. I really enjoy our lessons together.

Invaluable

“I spent a winter with Ethen Ahearne, who continues to help me with the show jumping. Last spring, I went to Chris Bartle in England for a couple of days of intensive training before the season started, which was invaluable. I came away riding, I thought, a completely different cross-country.

“He really emphasises body position, getting low and close to the horse, when approaching the fence using your body to bring the horse back rather than going to the rein. Another valuable thing was not fixating on one thing; looking up and looking around and being three steps ahead with your vision, you’d be amazed the difference just having eyes up and looking around can make.

“I do a little bit of teaching, when I have time. I’d like to get into it a little bit more; maybe try Pony Club, I’d like to be able to give back to where I started.

“We are busy now trying to get horses fit. Badminton is the big spring goal. We will probably go to England and do one or two runs there in preparation. After that, the main aim is the Europeans in September.”

Referencing the row between Eventing Ireland and venue owners, Cassells added: “Eventing is a valuable sport to so many people in Ireland, especially the production of young horses, so hopefully everything can be sorted out, so we can all continue with the sport we love.”