AS the competition year starts to slow down, it is a good opportunity to catch up with the latest recruits in the Irish Army Equitation School - Second Lt. Michaelí Byrne, Lt Adam Benson-Byrne and Lt James Whyte - to find out how they are enjoying life as officers.

Second Lt. Michaelí Byrne is the newest member of the team. She grew up at her parents’ Butterfly Farm, a riding centre in Co Wexford and has been involved in equestrian sport since she was a child.

During her transition year in school, when she was 16, she did work experience in the Equitation School and the seed was sown. “I knew it wouldn’t be an easy thing to do so after I finished my Leaving Certificate I went to work for Francis Connors to gain some experience,” Byrne told The Irish Field.

“The following summer I went to Shane Breen’s in Hickstead and stayed for a year and a half. I went to Austria for seven weeks and then on to Florida to Darragh Kerins for the Winter Equestrian Festival.

“When I returned home, I joined Ronan Rothwell’s team and stayed there for three seasons. That year I applied for the cadetship and that took almost a year to get through all the tests and application process, then, on the same day I won the four-year-old championships at the Dublin Horse Show in 2019 on Boleybawn Bella, I got word that I had been accepted!” she said about that special day.

Started at the bottom

“I started the cadetship on October 14th 2019 and I was commissioned on March 25th 2021 and in that time I didn’t see a horse. Towards the end of the training, I went out a few evenings and rode a horse which I had sold to a girl who lived near the Curragh, but other than that I didn’t ride at all.

“I started in McKee in April 2021 and did the groom’s course; all riders have to complete it to have a full understanding of all that goes on in the yard.

“Once I had completed that, I was given my own team of horses to ride and began lessons. I started off at the bottom of the pile on the training horses. Once you prove yourself you start getting better ones, so this year I have a few nice horses.

“I have the seven-year-olds GRC Roscrea and MSH Claregalway, the six-year-olds DDC Ard Rua and Killossery Kilshane, Maiden Hill for the 1.30m and MHS Gabhran for the 1.45m.

“We head to Spain tomorrow and MHS Gabhran will do the World Ranking classes, while Killossery Kilshane and MSH Claregalway will be aimed at the Gold Tour.

“Within the barracks, we have Lt Col Tom Freyne and Comdt Geoff Curran who teach us all the time and are there if you need any advice or help. We also have Comdt Gerry Flynn (now retired) who comes in about once a month or in the run up to big competitions and he will spend a whole day coaching us.”

Dream come true

“I’m really enjoying it. It is hard work but you get out of it what you put in. I thought it maybe a slow process when I started as a junior rider but it really is a case that if you prove yourself, you are rewarded.

“I can’t believe that I have the opportunity to ride a horse of Gabhran’s calibre and am getting to go to Spain to compete in raking classes. I was only hoping to maybe get a chance to go abroad this time next year, so I’m absolutely delighted with the opportunity to go now. It’s like a dream come true.

“The initial training was unlike anything I’d ever done before, but I’ll never forget it. Everyone is treated the same; men and women carry the same weight. Everyone is equal, no matter size, shape, sex, whatever we were all the same.

“I made some great friends and it was a great learning curve but my main focus right now is the School.

“I got a lovely Christmas Eve duty but that’s the way for all the juniors so I’ll hopefully get home to Wexford on Christmas day when I finish my duty. Last year I was on duty on Christmas day so it gets better every year,” finishes Michaelí with a laugh.

Hard work

Lt Adam Benson Byrne was commissioned to the Army Equitation School at the end of 2018. He grew up in Cherry Lodge Stud in Co Wicklow and prior to joining up worked riding for Markus Waterhues in North Germany.

Adam’s first real season riding for the army was interrupted by the pandemic at the start of the season in 2020. “It actually wasn’t so bad. We did a lot of training within the barracks. We kind of didn’t stop and it gave us a great chance to get to know our horses,” he explained.

Lt Adam Benson-Byrne and Glendarragh jumping at Barnadown \ Rolf Stenberg Jumpinaction.net

“We got the chance to practise competing. On a Friday the boss (Lt. Col Tom Freyne) would build a proper track in the big ring out the back and we would have to jump the fences as though we were at a show and then debrief it.

“It also allowed us to do a lot of back to basics stuff so that when shows did start again we were ready. We didn’t waste the time. The boss was determined that we would use the time well and learn during it.

“It was an unusual time. I was living at the barracks some of the time and then, when restrictions would allow, going home to Laois where I live with my fiancé Kirsty Campbell who is a veterinary physio so understands the horse world.”

“The horses I have on my team are Lough Ramor for the 1.45m, the seven-year-old Bonmahon Beach, six-year-old Glendarragh, Rathbourne for the 1.35m and the four-year-old CBI Slieve Bloom.

“I’m not going to Spain this year. My main goals include trying to qualify for Dublin with CBI Slieve Bloom and, once again with Glendarragh, we competed there last summer.

“All going well, I’d like to do the Premier Series with Lough Ramor. He did his first 1.45m in Cavan last week, and if he keeps going the way he is I think the Premier classes will be for him.”

Where he wants to be

Lt James Whyte is the third of the trio. He too was commissioned at the end of 2018 and also had the benefit of getting to know his horses without the pressure of competition during 2020.

He hails from Co Longford and will be heading to Spain with three of his horses, Hawthorn Hill (for the 1.45m) the eight-year-old Derrycush and the seven-year-old Carraigsoir.

His other horses include Carrigoran and Avonbeg (1.30m) and Seapatrick for the 1.35m.

In addition to the training they received during lockdown as mentioned by Lt. Benson Bryne, Lt. Whyte explains how they were kept busy: “We used the time to get a lot of jobs done around the yard that you would never normally get time to get done.

“Maintenance of the arenas, the paddocks, the show jumps, things like that. Horses that needed that extra bit of flatwork. Younger horses which needed the time put into them.

“We are very lucky with the superb facilities we have; the big field we have is perfect for practising courses.

“The likes of Carraigsoir, the lockdown probably crowned her, we spent a lot of time training her, trying to get her relaxed and settled. She was young enough, so it actually really benefited the likes of her and allowed her to mature without pressure.

“It also allowed us to give the older horses a bit of a break. We have access to such great coaches who are there any time we need advice. It’s fantastic.

Lt James Whyte and Templetouhy \ Laurence Dunne jumpinaction.net

“Looking back at the initial training, it is tough but you learn so much. There are many stages and it is long, but some of it is very enjoyable. It is something that I’m very glad I did.

“When I was a kid I would have looked up to the army riders and when I got to Leaving Certificate I decided to give it a go.

“I’m loving it. You get great experience, you get to ride really good horses, get great lessons and work with a fantastic team. It’s where I want to be, and I can’t find too much wrong with it I’d say”.