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Apart
from his main international horses (see below), Cian also
has horses in work at Karlswood Stables, Co. Meath, all
year round.
There
are several talented young horses and also some more experienced
ones on offer for potential buyers. Cian will cater for
all requests, from the amateur rider who needs an easy,
brave, horse, to the top international rider who wants a
promising superstar.
Contact Cian by email at cian@cianoconnor.com
for further information.
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WATERFORD
CRYSTAL
Waterford
Crystal is a 1991 bay gelding by Landgraf. Waterford Crystal
is owned by Independent News and
Media and Waterford Crystal.
In the past two years, he has been on 13 senior Nations
Cup teams, seven of which were winning.
• 2002 - Linz, Aachen, Falsterbo, Hickstead, Dublin,
Jerez
•
2001 - Falsterbo, Hickstead, Washington and Toronto
• 2000 - Helsinki, Drammen, Hickstead
Waterford Crystal has been one of the prominent horses on
the Irish senior team in the past two seasons. The horse's
consistency enabled Cian O'Connor to become the Leading
Nations Cup Rider for 2001/2002, while Waterford Crystal
took the Leading Horse title in the Series.
For
next season, Cian plans to aim the horse at major Grand
Prix competitions as well as Nations Cups, with the main
goal being a team medal at the European Championships at
Donaueshingen.
"Both
sponsors have given me full support to try and achieve my
long-term goal with this one, i.e., to be on a medal-winning
Irish team at the Olympic Games at Athens in 2004," comments
Cian.
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• Waterford
Crystal jumping at the World Equestrian games, Jerez, September
2002 |
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• Irish
Independent Casper winning the Puissance at Dublin CSIO,
August, 2002
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IRISH
INDEPENDENT CASPER
Irish
Independent Casper is a 1992 grey gelding by Cantus.
The Irish Independent newspaper group has prefixed its
company name to this horse as a form of sponsorship.
In 2002, Casper jumped clear in the Grand Prix at CSIO
Poznan, and jumped a clear and a 4 in the Nations Cup
at the same show.
In Dublin, he was 5th in the Kerrygold Welcome Stakes,
2nd in the Six-Bar competition, and won the Puissance,
clearing 7' 5". On the following day he was 5th
in the Grand Prix, helping Cian clinch the titles of
both Leading National Rider and Leading International
Rider at the show.
Three weeks later, Casper jumped an amazing clear round
at the Nations Cup at Rotterdam.
Cian will rest Casper for the winter, and build him
back up for international classes next season.
"It's great to have a horse like this who is so
versatile, " says Cian. "He can go in any
class you like, from a Speed to a Puissance. The horse
is owned by a syndicate, and as he is so talented and
has had such great results, there's a lot of interest
in the animal.
"I'm trying to find a major sponsor to buy the
horse, so that he can be kept for the Irish team, but
it's not so easy. The reality of the matter is that
without sponsorship it doesn't make financial sense
to keep a horse at this level.
"I'm a realistic man - you have to sell in order
to survive," he concludes. |
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ABC
LANDLIEBE
ABC Landliebe is a 1994 bay mare by
Landfriese, and was bought by Cian at the beginning of 2002.
"She's only eight yrs-old, and
is a real fighter," says Cian.
In May of 2002, she was 2nd in a 1.50m Grand Prix in Sutton,
Dublin. Following this, she won an international class at
Balmoral, Northern Ireland, the same month.
Cian says: " During the summer I put her up a step
into international classes. In order to educate the mare,
I didn't push her to the limit. She had some very good placings
by the end of July and was really hitting top form."
ABC Landliebe won a 1.40m class at Hickstead, and was also
2nd in the Speed Derby at CSIO Dublin, as well as being
4th in the mini Grand prix at the same show.
"As
the mare was going so well, " says Cian, " I asked
another question of her at the Nations Cups at Zagreb and
Athens, where I used her as my main horse. At both shows
she jumped amazingly well, and her second round at Athens
for just 4 faults was really class."
"I finished up the year with Landliebe at CSI-B Cavan
(Ireland) in November, where she won both the Speed and
Jump-Off Classes. She's unbelievably careful and fast, and
she's one of my favourite horses."
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• ABC
Landliebe jumping at Balmoral, Northern Ireland
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FOR
INFORMATION ABOUT COMPETITIONS, CLICK HERE |
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