PROFESSIONAL Irish riders basing themselves in the USA has become quite commonplace in recent years. Names that spring to mind include top international show jumping riders Conor Swail, Shane Sweetnam and the Coyle brothers.

American riders often visit Ireland, whether for training, competitions or in search of a new horse but few permanently base themselves here. Eventing and show jumping rider Gillian Beale King broke that mould when, after two years at Belline Equestrian, she set up on her own at Doyle’s Equestrian Centre in Carlow. Her plan now is to build up her competition string, as well as buying horses to produce and sell on and establish herself further as a coach.

“Both my parents are involved in the industry. I grew up riding American show hunter ponies and pony jumpers, as well as eventing ponies. I did a bit of everything in that regard. It started with my first pony Frenchfry, who was 36 inches tall.

“I broke him when he was four and I was three. I begged my Dad (Doug King) to let me off the lead. He said, ‘I don’t think you understand Frenchfry isn’t ready for that yet’. I finally convinced him that I could do it and eventually he let me off the lead in our round pen and that was sort of my start there.

“My Dad bred lots of ponies for me over the years. My Mom (Susie Beale) had a large stable of horses so I was always riding all sorts. That led me into my junior career where I began eventing and doing show hunters.

“When I went to university, my Mom let me ride her very good mare named Isabella, who she had done Kentucky five-star on, that was phenomenal,” said Gillian Beale King.

“I graduated and started my own business which took me in the direction of show jumping which is how I came to stop eventing. It wasn’t for any reason really, just my business went that way. So I did that for about 10 years and was producing horses up to 1.45m, and 1.50m market, as well as doing American Hunter Derby classes.”

Ireland calling

It was not long before Gillian got a phone call that would see her move to Ireland and begin a new chapter in her career.

“Then the call came, out of the blue, about this position in Ireland to come over here and ride a string of upper-level horses and I thought, I always wanted to get back to eventing and I was at a point where I wanted to rebuild my string of horses anyway. So I decided to give it six months to see if I loved eventing as much as I thought I did growing up. “I always thought I would get back into it when the right horse came along and I thought well, this is it.

“The connection to the Ames family came through mutual friends we had in the States. I came over and spent a phenomenal two seasons with them which culminated in me hitting 60th in the world ranking, which after just two seasons eventing left me still pinching myself. I couldn’t have dreamed of all the fun and success we had together.

“We wrapped up the season last year, we led the dressage on the first day at Blenheim, which was one of the highlights of my time here. Even though we had won, taken several second and third placings in some internationals, but leading day one in dressage in Blenheim, after not having focused on dressage for a decade, was just surreal.

“To feel all our hard work was recognised. My coach Heike Holstein was amazing; she spent countless hours working with me, it really is true, it takes a village. The whole team involved with Derena Super Star were brilliant. Everyone’s hard work paid off.

“I focused all my lesson time into dressage, and I think that all the experience I had gained show jumping, along with that flat work prepared me better to rider cross-country. When I could put all of it together, one thing fed into the other and made me better able to manage all the disciplines.

“I began to walk the cross-country the way I would a Grand Prix track. It really does correlate. The decisions you make for a jump-off track are the same ones you can apply across country; it’s just over a longer area.

“The Irish course designers do a great job of using their natural terrain and incorporating it into the cross-country. Things in the States tend to be man-made, here they tend to play into the countryside more which is nice.”

Derena Super Star and Gillian Beale King in action at the two-star long class at 2021 Kilguilkey International \ Equus Pix Photography

Own string

Remaining true to her own career goals, the time had come for Beale King to think about going out on her own.

Gillian said: “Last December came and looking ahead to my future goals, I decided the time was now for me to head back out on my own. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities that the team at Belline gave me, but it was never going to be forever so the time came and I decided I needed to start to rebuild a string of horses of my own, and for some different owners.

“I also knew I wanted to get back into teaching, which is something I have always loved. I now have the freedom to do clinics etc. I get so much joy out of teaching, and I have a lot of clients in the States who are always looking for horses and now I have the time to try and source them.

“I’m now based at Doyle’s Equestrian Centre in Rathvilly, Co Carlow, which is a wonderful location; I’m an hour to everywhere, an hour to Dublin, less than an hour to Kilkenny, and Laois so many different venues which I can utilise, it’s amazing.

“We have two indoor arenas, an outdoor, a solarium, an all-weather turnout, a walker… so much to love about the place. Ken Doyle is the owner and we see eye-to-eye, it’s just a great place to be.

“I currently have eight horses in. Three or four are sale horses and the others are for competition. I have some really lovely four, five, and six-year-olds.

“I’m never going to have that huge stable of 20 horses, I prefer quality over quantity. It’s the attention to detail and the way I like to care for my horses; that peaks at 10 or 12 for me. It also allows me time to teach. I couldn’t be happier where I am. It has really worked out well.

“So many people have been so supportive and helped me, it’s been wonderful. They have been behind me 100% all the way.

“Both my parents have come over and bought horses. My Dad hunters and jumpers and my Mom eventers.”

Lucky

Being able to look at a horse with fresh eyes and see what discipline might suit the animal best is among this young American’s special talents.

“It’s interesting, with my background, being involved in so many sides of the sport, hunters, jumpers, eventers all of it, I may go and look at a horse for sale and be told this horse is for this…and I’ll say, no, I think he may be suited to, for example, equitation, that’s where I feel very lucky in that regard. It’s so important to point the horse in the direction they will be happiest in, and that’s where they will be the most successful.

“For the moment I’m out and about searching high and low for horses to rebuild my string. I’m not in a hurry and I know what I like so I’ll continue like that, looking for the next superstar, whether it be young or experienced and keep producing these horses I have to the best of my ability.

“I have not entered one event yet this year because the ground has been so wet. I pride myself in doing right by my horses and minding them so I’m not in a huge rush to get them out until the ground is good enough.

“I’m so proud of all my students. They work so hard and give 100%. Amy Lambert deserves a special mention; she won her first EI 100 last weekend. It was her first event of the season and she began training with me in the early spring and has come on leaps and bounds. To see her hard work pay off is thrilling for me; I may as well have won myself, I’m so delighted for her,” said Gillian Beale King.