Relaxed Ryan opts to keep his head down

Eventer Michael Ryan appreciates the Olympics is the pinnacle of sport, but he sees no reason to alter his modus operandi.

The Cork-based Limerick veteran may be making his debut, but, he’s nothing if not pragmatic and is refusing to get caught up in the hype.

“I have not changed anything in my approach,” he said. “Some people are getting annoyed with me, as this is meant to be the ultimate test and, naturally, I am quite pleased to be here, but I am just trying to focus on doing a personal best and not letting the excitement get to me.”

The 37-year-old, who captained his GAA team in Oola, Limerick, from the age of 15 until he was 23, will line out in Greenwich Park on the 12-year-old gelding Ballylynch Adventure, who missed last year with injury, but was impressive on his return in Ballindenisk and Tattersalls this year.

Ryan has been selected by manager Ginny Elliot as the pathfinder in the competition that starts on Saturday with dressage, followed by cross-country, with the medals decided in Tuesday’s show jumping phase. Ryan will be followed by Aoife Clark (Master Crusoe), Joseph Murphy (Electric Cruise), Camilla Speirs (Portersize Just A Jiff) and anchorman Mark Kyle (Coolio) and he feels the mix has potential, even if Ireland would not quite be at the favourites end of the bookies’ list.

“There is a nice blend in the team of experience and young vitality.

“At the end of the day, we have five good jumping horses and we hope to play to our strengths in the cross-country and show jumping, but there are always going to be question marks regarding our dressage.

“Of course, we have been working on it and, while we are well prepared, at the end of the day, you can only plan for so much. But there is a great spirit in the camp and, so far, it is one of the nicest team events I have been at.”

Monday’s cross-country is guaranteed to shake up the field and riders will get their first look at the course this afternoon.

“I’ve heard it’s meant to be spectacular. I wouldn’t expect it any other way,” said Ryan, who spent the past two weeks in Kyle’s east midlands yard in England, where he and the team undertook some fine tuning with their trainers.

Marriage brought Ryan to Trish Donegan’s Bandon yard in 2002 and, though his better half already had one of her two Olympics under her belt, as a team they went on to become one of the country’s most professional outfits. Central to that has been the backing of Americans Tom and Carol Henry, who came to West Cork on a holiday and discovered a hidden love of horses.

“They have been hugely supportive of us and we would not be where we are without their interest.

“They are recognised as being solid supporters of the sport.”

Eventing is very much a sport of patronage and horse dealing, with competition prize-money derisory.

“It costs a quarter of a million a year at least to run our operation. We buy and sell horses, though we are not a big dealing yard. Teaching brings in some income, as do liveries, but most of all we depend on the support of Tom and Carol and other loyal owners.”

Of course, the controversy that saw Denis Lynch withdrawn as one of Ireland’s two show jumpers in London did not escape the Ryans’ attention.

“Anyone can make a mistake and we all try our level best to keep the sport clean... some more than others. In truth, you don’t hear of doping in eventing, but you need to be clued in to it. The FEI [International Equestrian Federation] are frequently adding to the list of what can’t be used during competition.”

Coincidentally, Mike and Denis share a past.

“We went to the same school, Abbey CBS in Tipperary Town. We both knew even then we would be involved in horses. I considered a career in racing, but like Denis, grew too much,” said Ryan.

It has been to eventing’s benefit... to what extent could be determined over the next few days.

So, what is eventing?

Eventing has its roots in the military and is designed as the supreme test of horse and rider, with men and women competing on equal terms.

It commences with the finesse of dressage, a pas de deux of horse and rider, followed by the cross-country phase, a mentally and physically-challenging task requiring bravery and split-second thinking. The competition is decided by the precision of show jumping.

A team consists of up to five riders, with the best three scores counting. Dressage takes place on Saturday and Sunday, followed by cross-country on Monday, with the team medals decided on Tuesday morning’s first round of show jumping. The top-25 qualify for the individual final in the afternoon.

Australia’s Andrew Hoy makes his seventh Olympics appearance, matching American Mike Plumb’s record. New Zealand’s Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson, in their sixth Games, starting 28 years ago. — John Tynan