USE it or lose it. What a great line for us all to remember as we pass through this world.

When Helen Kearney was diagnosed with the progressive neurological condition Friedreich’s Ataxia in 2002, she decided to use what she had – her love of horses – and make the most out of life while she still has time. And she certainly wastes none of it.

Despite overcoming numerous health challenges over the years, the Wicklow native has already completed two Paralympic Games - winning three medals in dressage at London 2012 – and now has her sights on Paris.

Determined and motivated are just two words that sum up Helen Kearney. She has let nothing get in her way of fulfilling her passion of riding and competing horses.

Since her early teens, Helen has faced many health challenges. Having had a relatively normal childhood, she was first diagnosed with scoliosis (curvature of the spine) at the age of 11.

“I started riding ponies around the age of nine with Rose Rouse. I loved it but I wasn’t a natural. I was always falling off too.”

To this day Rose continues to assist Helen on a regular basis and spends several hours a week in Helen’s yard.

Following consultations with a specialist, Helen’s diagnosis was confirmed. She was put on a waiting list and surgery followed. However, recovery was slow. It was at this point Helen was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia. By now she was 13.

Friedreich’s Ataxia is a rare inherited disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system. Scoliosis is often an early marker.

“Back then we knew little about it, other than it is genetic. They only began doing blood tests for it in 1996,” Helen remarked.

A series of tests followed for other family members. Although not affected, Helen’s mother Mary and father Michael were found to be carriers of the gene.

Helen’s younger sister Brona, who was 10 at the time, tested positive. Their older brother John was negative.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but every effort was made to allow Helen and Brona live as normal lives as possible.

“Despite my diagnosis at 13, I wasn’t put off riding,” Helen notes. “Shortly afterwards my mum bought me a pony. "Horse riding was the main sport that I was interested in, and she felt that it would keep me busy and keep my mind off the Ataxia.

“At the time we didn’t realise the importance of keeping active in helping to slow down the effects of the condition, so I was very lucky that I got a pony when I did.”

With support from riding school owner Mary Kane, Helen’s first pony Robin allowed her to compete in dressage, show jumping and Pony Club. Helen later switched to pure dressage. “Given my health it was the safer option,” she said.

When Helen was 19 it was suggested that she undergo further surgery on her back, but those plans were put on hold. It was also around this time that Helen was studying finance in UCD.

“I remember watching Eilish Byrne getting ready for the Olympics in 2008 and thinking I’d love to do that. Surgery would have set me back too much.”

And so began her own Olympic journey.

Team Ireland's Helen Kearney, from Dunlavin, Co Wicklow, individual championship test, silver grade, with her father Michael and mother Mary at London 2012 Paralympic Games, Team Lodge, London, England \ Brian Lawless / Sportsfile

The road to medals glory

Helen’s first para dressage competition was at junior level in 2008. The following year she made the Irish team for the FEI Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships in Norway, where she finished sixth individually on a horse called Boris Zieg.

In the early days Helen was classified at Grade IV, but she was reclassified to Grade II within a year. Riders are classified from Grade I to V according to their disability, with Grade I allocated to the most disabled riders.

“That competition in Norway was a baptism of fire and I probably should never have been at Grade IV. By 2010 I was at Grade I.”

With London looming, Helen decided this was her best chance to fly the Irish flag so close to home. “I knew the Olympics may never be this close again. I just needed a horse with a better walk and was fortunate to get Mister Cool in September 2010.”

Helen credits so many people with helping her along the way, in particular fellow Olympian Heike Holstein who has been hugely supportive.

On their run up to London, Helen and Mister Cool notched up numerous top-three results, including bronze at the 2011 European Championships in Belgium.

Dream come true

“To be selected for London 2012 was a dream come true, and the icing on the cake was bringing home three medals – team bronze, individual bronze and individual silver.”

Mister Cool, by Coolcorran Cool Diamond, was to give Helen many more memorable days out – including top-six placings at the 2014 World Equestrian Games – before he suffered a fatal injury later that year.

Helen admits that her health began to deteriorate further in 2015. “My back was giving me a lot of trouble but by now I had a new horse, Rock and Roll 2, who got me to Rio.”

Helen was the sole Irish representative in dressage at those Paralympics. By her own admission her scores were only ‘middling’. Rock and Roll 2 was sold later that year.

For the next few years Helen had no choice but to set horse riding aside. She underwent no fewer than five operations in 2018 and 2019. “The first operation on the top of my back when I was younger should have been enough but with Friedreich’s Ataxia I always knew I’d need another one as my muscles were weakening.”

Surgery also changed her body shape and at the age of 30, she went from being 5’6 to 5’9.

In total Helen lost 18 months to surgery. She had also lost precious time with her new ride, Zensation. “I bought him in 2018 but only sat on him for the first time in 2020,” she recalled.

Fortunately another good friend, Mary-Ann Casey, had kept him ticking over in the meantime. Another two years passed before Helen got back to international competition, in the summer of 2022.

Assisted by Rose Rouse, Helen is lifted onto her horse Benny by a hoist developed by her father Michael \ Siobhan English Photography

Focused

That year proved momentous as she also moved into her new home outside Dunlavin. Her father Michael proved invaluable with many fittings specially adapted. He also designed a hoist for Helen and Brona to use to mount their horses.

With the 2023 international season now underway, Helen has been getting some valuable coaching from PEI’s high performance director Debora Pijpers and is bidding to make some team events coming up.

“My condition has progressed and mounting my horse is much more difficult, but I’m delighted to be back riding,” she said.

The first Para Dressage International of the year takes place at Addington, UK from March 13th-16th and it is hoped Ireland will be represented in a bid to qualify for Paris. “I really hope to be on that team in 2024,” Helen concluded.