NEWS AND SCHEDULE
03/09/10 SPLENDOR JUMPS CLEAR IN SPANISH NATIONS' CUP
Splendor gave Cian a superb second round clear in the Spanish Nations' Cup at Gijon today. The Irish team finished joint fifth with Saudi Arabia on 20 faults, but were just one fence behind the three teams that tied for second place. Cian said: " It was a tightly-fought competition, with only one fence separating a lot of teams at the top end of the scoreboard, and we were perhaps unlucky not have finished equal second instead of equal fifth. However, I am thrilled with Splendor's superb clear in the second round. This was his first ever 5 star Nations' Cup."
11/08/10 CIAN AND K CLUB LADY SELECTED FOR WEG
Cian said today: "I am absolutely thrilled to be named as part of the Irish Show Jumping Team to compete at WEG. It will be the biggest test to date for my new mare K Club Lady but I'm confident that we can deliver the goods.
"Our team is strong and if we can reproduce the form we all had when victorious in Aachen in July, then I believe we can become World Champions at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games."
07/08/10 CIAN JOINT FIRST IN DUBLIN PUISSANCE AND K CLUB LADY CLEAR IN AGA KHAN
Cian and K Club Lady contributed to Ireland's superb joint second place in the Aga Khan Trophy on Friday with a second round clear, while today Cian rode Noctambule Courcelle to joint first in the Puissance, with the wall at a massive 2m15.
Cian said: "I was delighted with today's joint first in the Puissance alongside Venezuela's very talented Pablo Barrios. It was a competition that of course I'd loved to have won outright, but in the end we clipped the wall on our very last attempt, as Pedro had done just before us, and it was an honour to share the podium with him.
"K Club Lady was fantastic in the Nations' Cup on Friday. We made two mistakes in the first round, but I knew we could do better and so we dug deep to produce a zero score on our second attempt, and that, added to clears from Denis and Billy, put us into joint second with the USA. Not a bad result at all, but most importantly it left Ireland in fourth place in the world in the Meydan League this year, one place better than last year."
"I was just a bit disappointed that we didn't deliver an outright victory in front of the great home crowd, but the Dutch were fighting for their lives to avoid relegation and they produced an incredible display of team jumping that on the day we simply couldn't equal.
27/07/10 CIAN AND K CLUB LADY SELECTED FOR AGA KHAN SQUAD
Cian and K Club Lady have been selected for the Aga Khan squad at the Dublin Horse Show on Friday August 6. Show jumping manager Robert Splaine will select his team of four on Thursday night.
The squad is:
Shane Breen; Carmena Z
Dermott Lennon; Hallmark Elite
Denis Lynch; Nabab’s Son
Cian O’Connor; K Club Lady
Billy Twomey; Tinka’s Serenade
15/07/10 K CLUB LADY 'S DOUBLE CLEAR HELPS IRELAND WIN AACHEN NATIONS CUP
A delighted Cian rode a lap of honour tonight with Billy Twomey, Dermott Lennon and Denis Lynch after K Club Lady produced a superlative double clear in Aachen to help Ireland win the German Nations' Cup 
for the first time in seven years.
Cian said from Aachen tonight: "It was marvellous to see K Club Lady come up to one of the biggest competitions in the world and produce a double clear. She is an amazing mare and getting better every time.
"This was a wonderful team effort tonight, and Billy, Dermott , Denis and I went into this full of determination. I think it's also great for Robert Splaine, who has been such a great chef d'equipe right through the series. It doesn't get much better than this tonight, I can tell you."
11/07/10 K CLUB LADY SELECTED FOR AACHEN NATIONS' CUP SQUAD
Irish show jumping manager Robert Splaine today confirmed his squad for the important Aachen Nations' Cup in Germany next Thursday, the sixth leg in the Meydan Series, and K Club Lady is one of the five selected.
The squad will be:
Shane Breen - World Cruise
Dermott Lennon - Hallmark Elite
Denis Lynch - Lantinus
Cian O’Connor - K Club Lady
Billy Twomey - Je T’aime Flamenco or Tinka’s Serenade
07/06/10 K CLUB LADY TAKES 2ND PLACE IN ST. GALLEN GRAND PRIX
Cian and Dr. Michael Smurfit's mare 'K Club Lady' finished 2nd in the Swiss Grand Prix at St.Gallen on Sunday, jumping one of only two double clears from a starting list of 47.
07/06/10 K CLUB LADY TAKES 2ND PLACE IN ST. GALLEN GRAND PRIX
Cian said after the competition: " I am delighted with the mare and delighted for the owner, as this is his first show jumper."
With 12 through to the second phase of the competition, K Club Lady was first to go of the three clear rounds and finished on a zero score, but was eventually beaten on time by Germany's Carsten-Otto Nagel with 'Corradina'.
Cian added: "After a less than perfect first round in the Nations' Cup on Friday it was great to show that the mare can produce a double clear at this level, which is really new to her. She's as careful as a kitten, but has the heart of a lion, and in my opinion is one of the best vertical jumpers around. I thought her performance today was brilliant."
28/05/10 COMPLETE TAKES TWO TOP FIVE PLACES IN ROME
28/05/10 K CLUB LADY GOES CLEAR IN HER FIRST NATIONS' CUP
Ireland finished equal third in today's Nations' Cup of Rome, with K Club Lady making a big contribution to the team score with a clear and a four on her debut performance at this level.
Cian said: "I am overjoyed with her. I've only had the mare eight weeks, and she has proved to be a real fighter. She had to dig deep in the second round, and she did just that, delivering a foot perfect clear at a time when the team really needed it."
Ireland finished on 12 faults with Spain,and the Nations' Cup was won by France on four faults, with Britain second on eight. The other members of the Irish team were Billy Twomey (0/4), Cameron Hanley (8/0) and Darragh Kenny (4/8)
20/05/10 K CLUB LADY TO MAKE HER NATIONS' CUP DEBUT
Today Robert Splaine, chef d'equipe, announced the squad to represent Ireland in the 2nd leg of the Meydan Nations Cup series which will take place on Friday week, May 28, in Rome. Cian and K Club Lady are included in the selection.
Cian has had some very good results with the mare, most notably jumping double clear and finishing fourth in the 1m50 class at the Global Tour in Valencia. That they have been selected already to represent their country in a Nations' Cup is a great tribute, given that Cian has only been riding the horse for seven weeks.
On his selection Cian said: "I'm delighted to have got the call up for Rome. The Meydan Series is the top level of show jumping and although it's a tough ask I feel we will be ready for the challenge."
The other squad members include Capt. David O'Brien, Cameron Hanley, Billy Twomey and Darragh Kenny.
On his selection Cian said: "I'm delighted to have got the call up for Rome. The Meydan Series is the top level of show jumping and although it's a tough ask I feel we will be ready for the challenge."
The other squad members include Capt. David O'Brien, Cameron Hanley, Billy Twomey and Darragh Kenny.
17/05/10 IRISH TEAM BATTLE WELL TO FINISH 6th IN LA BAULE
Despite a super performance from Shane Breen and Carmena Z and two solid rounds from Cameron Hanley, the Irish team finished just outside Robert Splaine’s goal of a mid division finish last week. It was quite a low scoring Nations' Cup, which is always difficult as every fence can be extremely costly. Darragh Kenny made his Super League debut and rode a great second round for four faults. The next leg of the series is in Rome on Friday May 28th.
La Baule Irish team scores:
Shane Breen - Carmena Z 0.00/0.00
Niall Talbot - Tequi d'I 8.00/Retd
Darragh Kenny - Obelix 8.00/4.00
Cameron Hanley - Southwind VDL 0.00/4.00
CIAN RECEIVES IRISH FIELD SENIOR SHOW JUMPER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Cian says: "It's a real honour to receive this award and to have myself included with the great historical names that are already on the trophy.
"Much of the credit must go to my owners and horses that helped me secure major international results in 2009."
7/05/10 K CLUB LADY TAKES FOURTH AT GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR SHOW
Cian's new mare K Club Lady is going from strength to strength at every outing and had a fourth place in the 1m50 jump off at the Global Champions Tour show in Valencia tonight, jumping a double clear. Cian said: "I'm delighted with the mare. She has great character and is really careful."
The pair will line out on Saturday for the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at 3pm Irish time.
25/04/10 COMPLETE AND K CLUB LADY FEATURE AT HAGEN
At CSI3* Hagen, Cian and K Club Lady had an eighth place in the Grand Prix, one of only six clears in the first round of 46 starters. Cian said: "I'm very happy with the new mare. She's had two starts in international Grands Prix with me so far, and she's been placed in both."
On Friday Complete gave Cian a fourth place in the main speed class.
18/04/10 K CLUB LADY MAKES GRAND PRIX DEBUT AT LUMMEN
Cian had a fantastic 3rd place today with his new mare K Club Lady when competing in the Lummen 1m50 Grand Prix. The mare jumped a double clear, one of only three in the class, and Cian said afterwards he was 'absolutely over the moon - she jumped amazing'. See video HERE
Cian also had a win with Splendor in Saturday's 1m40 class. He said: "I jumped him on Friday, just training, but decided to have a cut today. Glad I did!"
04/04/10 GREAT DAY FOR KARLSWOOD AT KILKENNY
It was a great day for the Karlswood team today in the tenth leg of the HSI Chippison Spring Tour at Warrington in Kilkenny, with three horses in the top eight. Complete took his third win of the series, Cian's new horse K Club Lady was 6th, and PS I Love You with Mark Kinsella was 8th.
Cian said after the show: "Complete was in great form and this win today really sets him up for international duty - we head off to Lummen in ten days' time. I was also tremendously pleased with K Club Lady. I only acquired the ride on her last week and she jumped a brilliant double clear to finish 6th. Mark Kinsella was out on his first show of the season and had a clear and a 4, to finish 8th with PS I Love You.
It was a great day for the team."
21/03/10 CIAN'S LOOKING FOR A NEW YARD GROOM
If you think you'd fit the bill email Cian's office here.
14/03/10 CIAN AND COMPLETE WIN AGAIN IN HSI CHIPPISON LEAGUE
From a large field of 72, Cian and Complete came out on top in what was a very competitive jump off at Kill. Cian said: "The time allowed was short in the first round and this proved a difficulty for many combinations. I think however a short time allowed has become part of international jumping and introducing it at this stage will prove to be a major benefit to the riders. In the jump off Complete was fantastic and as he's got such a big stride, I feel I'm not even pushing him, and he's winning these classes very much within himself."
28/02/10 CIAN HAS A ONE-TWO AT CAVAN
Cian took first and second place in the Grand Prix at Cavan on Sunday. Competing in the HSI Chippison Spring Tour series, Complete gave him a win with a double clear, closely followed by the runner-up place on Splendor.
Cian said afterwards: "This is a great series, and provides experience to younger riders in competing at Grand Prix level. I was delighted with both horses here today. It's Splendor's first outing in six weeks, while Complete is just back from a 12 week break. I look forward to competing in other legs of this tour when I am in Ireland."
21/01/10 SPLENDOR WINS AT FIRST DAY OF LEIPZIG
On Thursday Cian won the opening class at the five star World Cup show in Leipzig with Splendor, giving him his sixth international win in a four week period. You can hear an interview with Cian at Leipzig on www.sportonhorses.com by clicking HERE
17/01/10 TRIUMPH FOR CIAN AND RANCORRADO IN BASEL GRAND PRIX
On Sunday Cian scored yet another Grand Prix win, this time at Basel in Switzerland with Rancorrado. One of just four from a starting list of 45 to make it through to the jump-off, Rancorrado did not put a foot wrong and came home with just a time fault. The other three finalists all incurred jumping penalties.
Cian said afterwards: "To win here is just fantastic. Show jumping can be all about confidence, like a football team that wins one match and then goes on a roll. So my Grand Prix win at OIympia in December with Rancorrado gave me that confidence, and made today's win possible. It's also down to a lot of hard work from a lot of people, and of course one amazingly talented horse."
16/01/10 GOOD WEEKEND AT BASEL
16/01/10 GOOD WEEKEND AT BASEL
Cian and his horses have been having a good weekend at Basel in Switzerland, with a win in Friday's Speed Class with Irish Independent Echo Beach and a second place with Splendour in the opening class on Thursday. Tonight he incurred one time fault with Splendour in the big jump-off class. Cian said: "I was second to go, and he jumped amazingly. I was very happy with him, picking up just a single time fault."
For the 2009 News Archive, click HERE
We'll be bringing you regular updates on Cian's shows and results, and some words from him after each event.
Above is his provisional Show Schedule until
October 9, 2010.
Below is the news from 2010.
For the 2009 News Archive, click HERE
See Cian's interview with Sport on Horses and watch him schooling his new Grand Prix horse, K Club Lady. Click HERE
