TREVOR Breen doesn’t just ride horses, he climbs mountains with them. The Irish show jumper’s journey from teacher and rugby player to international equestrian star is astonishing. As he recounts the highs, lows and heart behind the horsepower, Breen’s story is clearly not simply one of talent, but one of grit and unshakeable belief.

Before he ever dreamed of gracing the hallowed grass of Hickstead, Breen was testing out his options and ended up standing in front of a blackboard.

“I did a commerce degree in UCC first,” Breen says. “Then I worked in insurance and at Meryl Lynch for a bit, but I wasn’t enjoying it.” At the time, Breen was also involved in rugby, and horses had fallen by the wayside. “I hadn’t ridden for two years, but I missed it. So I went back riding, and then started teaching in secondary school.”

Horses had always been there in the background for the Breens, having grown up with ponies and been lucky enough to ride at Dublin as a child. After a few years away from it, the pull became too strong to ignore.

“The plan was to teach and then ride in the summers but the further we got, the more the horses took over.”

By September 2008, he made the leap. “That was the first time I didn’t go back to school,” he says with a laugh. “You could say I turned professional then.”

The next big pivot came in 2011. “I met my wife Caroline, who’s English, and we got married. From a career point of view it just made sense to be in England,” he explains. “And she didn’t love the Irish weather!”

His brother Shane had already moved across the Irish Sea a few years earlier, so the transition was a natural one. It was also the start of a golden period in Breen’s career, culminating in a win that would define both man and mount.

Trevor Breen and Highland President during the Nations Cup at CSIO St Gallen \ Tomas Holcbecher

Adventure de Kannan

If you ask any show jumping fan about Trevor Breen, odds are they’ll bring up Adventure de Kannan. The gelding wasn’t just a remarkable jumping partner, he was an inspiration in his own right.

“He was super intelligent, he had an unbelievable heart and brain,” Breen says. “He won every big class in Hickstead except the King George, and even there, he placed.”

It was 2014 when the pair etched their names into the history books with a win in the iconic Hickstead Derby. But getting there was a journey of near-misses and mounting pressure. “We were fourth, third, second... finally we got it done,” he says. “He was 14 then, and I knew time was running out. Honestly, my first feeling when we won was relief.”

Their story is all the more extraordinary given that Adventure de Kannan only had one eye. “He had an issue, and the vet told us we might keep the eye for a year or two. We managed five, but eventually took it out,” Breen explains. “After the surgery, he was like a new horse. I think it was like a toothache that never went away. Removing the eye just lifted everything for him.”

The results were immediate. That year, he had one of the best seasons of his career, seemingly unaffected by the impairment. “He didn’t flinch. He was perfect.”

Breen retired Adventure de Kannan at 16, refusing to push him beyond his prime. “I didn’t want to rag him around just to say he was still jumping, he deserved better than that. I said to his owner Karen, ‘I think it’s time,’ and she agreed immediately. We were on the same page.”

And if one Hickstead Derby win wasn’t enough, Breen returned in 2015 with Loughnatousa WB, a horse that had previously won the same event with Paul Beecher. “He knew his way around that course,” Breen says. “To win it again, back-to-back, was very special.”

Building a legacy

Shortly after moving to England, Trevor and Caroline launched Breen Sport Horses, a business that would become a cornerstone of their success. “It started when I moved over,” he says. “We focus on training, sales, and producing young horses.”

Perhaps the most poetic chapter in their breeding journey began with a filly born blind in one eye, the same affliction as Adventure de Kannan. “She was by Kannan, just like him,” Breen recalls.“I thought, ‘here we go again’, but she was unbelievable when loose-jumped so I bred her, and Highland President was the result. Definitely the right decision.”

Highland President was the horse that would take Breen to his first championship medal - silver at the 2023 European Championships - and from whom Breen suffered that infamous fall.

Broken neck, unbreakable will

From the highs of Breen’s career came a terrifying low. In May 2024, Breen fell during the Longines Grand Prix in Hamburg. The accident resulted in three fractures to his neck and back, including the C4, C6, and C7 vertebrae. He was immediately placed in an induced coma and underwent emergency surgery to stabilise the most critical injury. Remarkably, he avoided paralysis.

“When I got to the hospital, the first surgeon said I wouldn’t ride again,” he says. “That was hard to process.” But a transfer to a renowned spinal specialist in Hamburg changed everything. “The main guy said, ‘We’ll have you riding again’, and that was it. I was up walking two days later. From that point on, I just threw myself into recovery.”

Breen’s approach to rehabilitation was nothing short of heroic. “I just did whatever they told me - and then did it twice,” he laughs. “I was riding again after three and a half months. First show was four months and a week after the fall.”

Despite the severity of his injuries, he reported feeling “unbelievable” and “like I was never off”.

His said his rugby background taught him that mental toughness was as crucial as physical strength. “There’s no point wallowing. If you want to recover, you do the work.”

Team Ireland - Denis Lynch, Trevor Breen, chef d’equipe Michael Blake, Jason Foley, and Michael Pender - listen to the national anthem after winning the opening leg of the Longines League of Nations in Abu Dhabi

By January 2025, Breen was not just back, but winning. He was selected for Ireland’s Nations Cup team in Sharjah, marking his first international competition since the accident. Later that month, he achieved a remarkable victory in Abu Dhabi’s CSI4* World Cup Grand Prix, riding his mare Luidam’s Warrior. This, followed by a League of Nations triumph in Abu Dhabi with Highland President, cemented his comeback.

“That Nations Cup, winning the League of Nations, was the proudest moment of my career,” he says.

“I set that goal when I was lying in bed, wondering if I’d ever ride again. To achieve it was huge. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into that one.

“Coming back from where I was, the hospital bed, the uncertainty, and achieving that goal… it took everything. And it wasn’t just about the result. It was about proving something to myself and repaying all the people who supported me.”

Eyes on the future

Breen’s current string is stronger than ever, with Highland President a cornerstone and Luidam’s Warrior, a “very special mare”, joined by other exciting prospects.

“There’s a half-brother to Highland President, a really exciting nine-year-old,” says Breen. “And then we’ve got Conrado Lenski, Jack Paris, Desert Encounter, ABC Cortana Cruise - all of them capable at three-star level or higher.”

It’s a depth of quality that reflects both Breen’s eye for a horse and the business acumen that underpins Breen Sport Horses. “My business is training clients, producing young horses, and eventually selling them,” he explains.

And he’s not the only Breen in the ring. His daughter Mia is making waves on the pony circuit, just missing out on a HOYS qualifier when we spoke. “She was devastated,” he chuckles. “But she’s getting closer.” Mia did then qualify at the next show.

Caroline, herself an accomplished horsewoman, handles most of Mia’s training. “It’s better for consistency,” Trevor says. “I miss a lot of shows with my own schedule, so Caroline leads on that.”

For aspiring riders, Breen’s message is clear: “Work hard. Take advice. Watch the greats. We used to stand by the ring in Dublin, watching Eddie Macken, Nick Skelton, Jessica Kürten. Then we’d go home and try to ride like them.

“Take advice from people you respect and don’t forget, this sport is about more than riding. It’s about building relationships with owners, being professional, and staying humble. You need to be able to get good owners and be someone people want to support.”

The magic of Dublin

For Breen, no show compares to Dublin. “It’s the one we all grow up dreaming about. It’s just incredible. The atmosphere, the crowd, the arena - it’s electric,” he says. “Two years ago, I was the first Irish clear in the Grand Prix, and the roar, God, you’d think I’d won it.”

His fondest early Dublin memory? A runaway pony, a dramatic recovery, and a final round ridden without stirrups.

“We went in for the pony final after the hunt chase and the ground was a bit torn up, I was the last to go, my pony fell and bolted back to the pocket. Tim Beecher jumped in, threw me back on, slapped the pony, and off I went - no reins and no stirrups! I didn’t win, but had the fastest time!”

Despite all his achievements, a podium finish in Dublin’s Grand Prix still eludes him, as does a spot on an Aga Khan team. “That’s one I’d love to tick off,” he says.

Breen credits a strong team culture and the work of chef d’equipe Michael Blake for Team Ireland’s recent successes.

“Everyone is well-mounted, motivated, and wants to represent Team Ireland,” says Breen.

“Michael has created a brilliant atmosphere. There’s competition for places, and that’s a good thing, that pushes everyone.”

With the European Championships looming and Dublin in his sights, Breen is motivated as ever. “There’s plenty to aim for,” he says. “You just get stuck in.”

His journey, from commerce to classrooms to championship rings is a testament to resilience. Whether it’s on a horse with one eye, or recovering from a broken neck, Breen finds a way to ride forward.

“I set the goal, and I achieved it. That’s probably what I’m most proud of.”