‘As we come to the close of 2025, it feels like the right moment to pause, reflect, and truly appreciate what has been a fantastic year for Team Karlswood. It has been a year filled with experience, growth, learning, and above all, some truly amazing horses who continue to inspire us every single day.

None of what we achieve is ever done alone, and I would like to sincerely thank everyone who is part of the Karlswood journey. To our customers and partners, your belief, trust, and commitment means everything. To our incredible team behind the scenes, your dedication, professionalism, and hard work are what make every result possible. The attention to detail and the passion you bring are the foundation of everything we do. This year has been a true team effort, and I am immensely proud of you all.

2025 has also been a personal milestone year for me. Reaching the Top 10 Longines World Rankings for the first time in my career is something I am extremely proud of, and it would not have been possible without the horses I am fortunate to ride and the team who supports me every day. This achievement belongs to all of you as much as it does to me.

Each of our horses has stepped up this season, delivering great results across the board for all our riders. Their consistency, talent, and willingness have been a real highlight of the year, and I really feel the best is yet to come in 2026. The future is bright, and we move forward with confidence, ambition, and gratitude.

I am incredibly proud of the hard work, commitment, and shared vision within Team Karlswood. Success is never accidental — it is the reward for effort, perseverance, and belief. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey in 2025. I look forward to building on this year together and continuing to strive for excellence in the seasons ahead.’
- Cian

THREE THIRD PLACE PLACINGS IN GENEVA FOR CIAN O’CONNOR

A superb week in Geneva saw Cian deliver an outstanding series of performances, finishing third on three separate occasions across top CSI5* classes. Aboard Chatolinue PS, he secured third place in the CSI5* Trophée de Genève, followed by another third with Genghis Khan in the Prix des Communes Genevoises. Canbella Blue PS added to the tally with a third-place finish in the Welcome Class, rounding off an exceptionally consistent week at the highest level of the sport. Tom also produced a strong showing in Geneva, placing fifth with Do It Easy in the Coupe de Genève. A confident and competitive performance against a world-class field capped off a very successful show for both riders.

WATCH CHATOLINUE PS’S ROUND IN THE CSI5* 1.60M CLASS

WATCH GENGHIS KHAN’S ROUND IN THE CSI5* 1.55M CLASS

WATCH DO IT EASY’S ROUND IN THE CSI5* 1.60M CLASS

OUR HORSES ARRIVED SAFELY TO FLORIDA FOR THE WINTER CIRCUIT

Thank you to everyone involved in transporting our horses safely from Ireland to Florida. Huge appreciation goes to Dutta Corporation, the Equine International Shipping (EIS) team, and our dedicated Karlswood team for their expertise, care, and attention to detail in ensuring a smooth, comfortable, and stress-free journey for all of our horses.

All horses have now arrived safely in the United States, and we are very much looking forward to an exciting and ambitious winter season ahead. A major focus this year will be the continued development of our promising group of young horses, with Francis Derwin playing a key role in that program under Nicolas Pedersen’s management. Francis will be based out of the world-class World Equestrian Centre in Ocala, where he will compete and campaign 10 horses throughout the winter. His primary objective will be to carefully develop and produce these exciting young horses with a long-term vision, prioritising correct education, confidence, and consistency, while progressing them towards the highest levels of the sport.

Francis will benefit from an exceptional 13-week run of national and international competition at the World Equestrian Centre, one of the premier equestrian venues in the world. The depth and quality of competition, combined with outstanding facilities, will provide the ideal environment to test, strengthen, and advance these horses, laying solid foundations for their future careers.

Meanwhile, our senior competitive string will be based in Wellington, with Cian O'Connor, the Wachman siblings, and Beth Underhill all set to compete at the highest level out of the Wellington International. Together, this dual-base approach in Ocala and Wellington allows us to balance elite competition with long-term horse development, ensuring both present performance and future success.