Aoife Clark - those smiling Irish eyes
Aoife Clark has a warmth that can even be felt on a cold cross country day at Blenheim where I first met her in 2013. The Irish rider, who literally has smiling eyes, had just finished her cross country round in the CIC3* on board Fenya’s Elegance and was very happy with the 9 year old mare that was having her first start at this level and impressively went on to win the class.
This Irish pair, the County Kildare born Aoife and the Irish Sport Horse Fenya’s Elegance (Ellie), have recently been named on the Irish squad for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy. Aoife learned the news at the perfect moment to celebrate
“I was actually at Ascot having a brilliant day catching up with some mates from home when I got the phone call. I tried to act all composed, but doubt I managed, as I’d already had a fair bit of bubbly by then! It was certainly a good excuse to top my glass up. I was over the moon to get the call-up. Although the horses had gone so well at Bramham, the World Equestrian Games will be Ellie’s first four-star, though I think she’s now ready for the challenge. To have Vaguely North as my direct reserve horse was the icing on the cake as I’ve not been lucky enough to be in a position like that before”
This isn’t Aoife’s first time to represent Ireland at a major championship; in 2012 she had her first senior championship start for her country and placed seventh individually at the London Olympic Games riding Master Crusoe. Together with the young horse she had brought with her from Ireland when she moved to the UK in 2006 they put in two double clear show jumping rounds under pressure and helped the Irish team move into fifth place overall. This time, her team appearance will be with another young Irish bred horse, Fenya’s Elegance, a mare by Ricardo Z that was bred and is owned by the man who could charm a leprechaun, PJ Hegarty.
Aoife only started to ride the mare in 2013 when she was approached by PJ who wanted to bring Fenya’s Elegance over to the UK to compete
“She had been ridden by the young rider Brian Morrison in Ireland and PJ wanted an Irish rider for her over here. He’d done his homework and had it all worked out when he rang me” said Aoife when I interviewed her at Blenheim. PJ obviously knew how to make a match as Aoife and Fenya’s Elegance not only won at Blenheim but they also placed second at Chatsworth CIC3*, eighth at the British Open Championships at Gatcombe CIC3* and the mare finished in the top 20 horses in the end of year British Eventing rankings.
In April Aoife made the decision not to run Fenya’s Elegance at Badminton after some blood tests showed some minor problems and the pair re-routed to Bramham to win the CCI3*, the first Irish winners to take the prize. Not only did Fenya’s Elegance win the class thanks to a faultless show jumping round but Aoife’s other ride that day, Vaguely North also finished in 12th place in his first three day event in three years.
Aoife and Vaguely North at Bramham Park
Aoife has a soft spot for Irish Sport Horses but Vaguely North is the thoroughbred of her stable and he has also made the Irish squad for Normandy as the ‘direct reserve horse’. A New Zealand bred thoroughbred formerly ridden by Vaughn Jefferies and Helen Tompkins, Aoife took the ride in May 2010 for the owner Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford
“I do love Irish Sport horses, but the ones I like are almost thoroughbred, so Vaguely North is not dissimilar to what I’m used to. He has got the most gorgeous nature – polite, willing and incredibly genuine - with an amazing engine and I’ve never ridden anything quite like him on cross country. He can be a bit of a worrier and gets nervous particularly for the dressage but he feels better than ever this year and has produced some really super tests. He is the direct reserve horse for WEG but, if he isn’t called on, he will head to Burghley.
Ellie is the polar opposite. She is fierce and feisty with plenty to say for herself! Hugely talented but needs to do things her way. She does let me train her to an extent but I have to be very subtle in how I ask her and I have to make her think that it’s her idea. She definitely likes the big occasion and I’m hoping she’ll rise to the challenge at WEG.”
The presentation at Blenheim with groom Hollie and owner PJ Hegarty who will be heading to Normandy too
Heading to Normandy with Aoife will be her groom of six years, Hollie Bradshaw who was her groom at the London Olympics in 2012 and attends all of the major three day events.
“I couldn’t manage without her” says Aoife “She does such a brilliant job which lets me relax as much as possible and focus on the job in front of me”
Ellie’s proud ‘dad’ PJ and his wife Una will also be heading to Le Haras du Pin to cheer on their horse and no doubt spread some Irish cheer
“I’m sure by the end of the week he’ll have had a chat with everyone in Normandy!” laughs Aoife
Another proud ‘dad’ by then may be Aoife’s husband Simon (no, this isn’t breaking news about Aoife’s pregnancy) as their lurcher, Balloo, also famous on Twitter as #doggieeventing, is currently expecting puppies.
“We were planning on taking Balloo to France with us but, having got very excited that she is in pup, we scrolled though the diary to see that they’d be due the week of WEG, and I’m not sure I need that distraction!”
Aoife, Simon and Balloo in Scotland (above) - but #doggyeventing Balloo (below) will have to miss out on Normandy
Simon will of course be with Aoife at WEG and, although he is not directly involved with the horses and training, he is a great support and an extra pair of hands when needed. A helicopter pilot and keen hunting rider, Simon was familiar with the eventing scene well before his marriage to Aoife through his sister, Polly Stockton. At a busy championship such as WEG where riders have many demands on their time, he’ll also be making sure that all of the family and friends are kept in the loop and updated if Aoife can’t get to see them during the event
However there are still a couple of weeks to go before the big event and plenty of work to be done before arriving in Normandy at the end of August. Aoife hasn’t competed at Le Pin previously but is preparing as she would for any other big three day event.
“Luckily Burghley is the week after so both horses are following a similar routine. As Bramham was only in early June, they will both hold a lot of fitness from there, so I am looking to just give them two runs before going, whilst building up their fitness at home in between. They have had one run at Aston-le-Walls in an Open Intermediate and another at Gatcombe in the Advanced (which Fenya’s Elegance won). That will get them tuned up but also keep a bit of freshness in them. We have team preparation the week before but until then we can follow our own routines. I remember thinking before London that there was a lot of pressure to over-train and again now it is a fine line between doing too much and too little. At the end of day they’ve got to get there feeling well and I’m just hoping all the preparations go to plan!”
Aoife and Fenya's Elegance, on their way to winning the Advanced at the Festival of British Eventing
