New management duo of Campion and Macken to debut in Aachen
This follows the issuing - through the Equestrian Federation of Ireland - yesterday of a statement by Col Campion confirming he had appointed Macken as trainer, “in line with the wishes of the senior riders”.
“Eddie Macken, with his outstanding record and long experience, will contribute a lot to the team effort. He has been working with the riders since early in the year, and is familiar with the current form. Eddie’s record almost speaks for itself. He is one of the great names in world show jumping,” said Col Campion.
It is believed that, as part of the settlement, the SJAI paid Macken’s legal bills of e2,500, plus vat, as well as his recent phone costs. On Thursday, Macken accepted an apology from the Show Jumping Association of Ireland relating to their recent sacking of him as trainer. In turn, as revealed in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, he dropped a legal action against the SJAI, which paved the way for his reappointment.
It is believed EFI secretary general Dan Butler was instrumental in brokering the deal between Macken and the SJAI. The sacking, after just three shows, of Macken by the SJAI - who cited a clash of personalities between the Longford man and then chef d’equipe Tommy Wade - came after the Irish team failed dismally to match the form that saw them in recent years win the European Championships and place joint second in the Samsung Super League.
It resulted in uproar among some of the senior riders. As the dispute continued and with no sign of Macken dropping his legal action, the Equestrian Federation of Ireland stepped in and took control, appointing Col Campion as chef d’equipe.
Vancouver-based Macken and Col Campion, a former secretary general of the EFI, face a stern task, with Ireland languishing one from the bottom of the Samsung League at the half-way stage. Aachen will be watched closely, with the squad of Cian O’Connor Billy Twomey, Marion Hughes, Kevin Babington and Jessica Kurten hoping to repeat last year’s win.
Meanwhile, Heike Holstein has been selected by Dressage Ireland to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games. The 32-year-old Dubliner will compete in Athens on the 12-year-old Hannovarian gelding Welt Adel.
Holstein has been national dressage champion of Ireland a record eight times. She was a member of the first international dressage team to represent Ireland (World Equestrian Games, Rome in 1998). The following year she was on the Irish team at the European Dressage Championships in Arnhem and placed 23rd in the individual line-up. Heike was the youngest dressage competitor at the Atlanta Olympic Games and four years later she represented Ireland at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
