MY first impression when speaking to event rider and producer Casey Webb earlier this week is that she is someone who relishes a challenge.

Having earned a first-class honours degree in Actuarial Science from Queen’s University, she decided that a life working with horses was the one for her, and she has been dedicated to that goal ever since.

Initially, Casey’s interest in horses came from her father, Tommy, who always had a thoroughbred mare or two, which he kept for breeding as a hobby.

She began learning to ride at her local riding school and, when she was ready, aged seven, she got her first pony, the experienced 16-year-old Limerick Misty.

The pair did well together, competing in Under 10 show jumping championships, as well as coming up through the Iveagh Pony Club and doing all manner of competitions.

“Mary Mahon, who ran the Louth County Show, is a family friend. She taught me at home and helped me learn how to look after Misty, prepare for shows and all that came with having a pony. From there, I began to get given a few ponies to ride, mainly young, or maybe the slightly bolder ones.

“I got a 14.2hh pony Phoenix Firefly to event for a year and, through the Iveaghs, I met Steven and Trevor Smith, who I am still based with now. They trained me and I went from never having done an event, to riding the leading two-star pony in the Northern Region that year. That pony was sold and I went back to show jumping. I had the ride of the 148cm Claggan’s Gypsy Delight. She took me to the Main Arena in the RDS, where we finished in the top six in Grade A Championships in 2012.

“After that, I was out of ponies and began riding with Steven and Trevor and that is how I found myself with event horses really. When I was in juniors, I used to get the bus after school to the Smiths’ yard and spend the weekends there also. When I finished school, I went on to Queen’s and studied Actuarial Science (which my mother is very proud of!). I got a first and it was during that time I rode at the young rider Europeans in Millstreet.

“I rode Beltrim Full Moon and was selected for the 2017 Irish Young Rider team. That was my first taste of the higher level stuff. It gave me a lot of confidence and introduced me to people like Heike Holstein and Sally Corscadden. It gave me the hunger for it and I thought, ‘I’d like to give this a go’.

“After that, I had to do a year’s placement, so I worked in an office and just rode in the evenings. I had qualified and was at a bit of a crossroads, but I had good people around me, who said ‘you are only young once, you should give it a go’. I had opportunities to go other places at the time, but I enjoyed being based with Steven and Trevor, and to this day, I am still very grateful for all they have taught me and the chances they have given me.

“I enjoy being at home, where I have a few youngsters belonging to my brother (show jumper Carl Webb, who was based with Marion Hughes) and me, so I decided to stay there. I took a gap year and I’m still on that gap year all these years later. I enjoy training and producing horses. I just enjoy riding really and let the horses tell me which direction they want to go in. Show jumping or eventing; it’s what suits them.

Tutoring

“During University, I was always tutoring Maths for a bit of extra work, during Covid I began doing it online and that has developed into a business, which I still continue today; I now have four people tutoring for me. It gives me a little bit of security alongside the horses.

“I ride about 10-12 horses a day between my own, the youngsters, and the advanced ones. I am lucky to have two nice horses owned by Steven and Trevor; April’s Pacino Time, who I have ridden since she was three years old. I did my first Advanced and my first four-star on her, she’s been a great horse for me and opened a lot of doors to go to things like senior training and, through that, I got the ride on a horse named HHF Elegance, who was fourth in the four-star in Lisgarvan last year and seventh in Ballindenisk, so they’re probably the most successful ones that I’ve got to keep.

“I had a lovely mare, Tykillen Jazz, who was on the 2024 list for Le Lion D’Angers, but she was sold to a young rider. I have a lovely one, which is new to me, named Bluestone Pharoah, owned by Lady Shirley Hough.

“I also have owners, Jane and Robert Huey, who have had horses with me for years. They like to breed traditional Irish horses and we have produced them through the levels. Some have gone on to be sold, some have gone on to do the Irish Draught classes and some have gone back into their breeding programme. They have been great supporters of mine.

“I was second in Dublin a few years ago on a Draught of theirs and I now have a seven-year-old offspring of that horse, who is just ready to move up to two-star this year. I ride and compete a lot of nice youngsters for Trevor and Steven. We do a mixture of stuff with them, whatever they are most suited to. I understand that doing the young horses means most of them are for sale, but I’m lucky to have a few people that are willing to stick with me. I know it’s hard to keep them that long, because it can be a hard slog, but I’m always trying to build up a nice team of horses for the bigger classes.

Proud moment

“I was quite proud in Lisgarvan last year, I got to compete four horses and three of them were mares still owned by their breeders. I try to produce horses to have a career for the long-run. I don’t like to rush them. There are several of us in the yard, so we can go out as a group to educate the youngsters together cross-country schooling, so that’s great. It gives them a lot of confidence. We take a lot of time with them.

“Two years ago, I was lucky to be based with Ros Canter for a month and I got a huge amount from that. How to school the horses and make them confident cross-country. I really try to bring that into my own system and riding, so that is something I spend a lot of time on, building the blocks for cross-country. The more you learn, the more you see how the three phases link together.

“I’m also trained on the flat by Ian Woodhead. For years, I was trained by Alan Dewhurst, who has now moved to Scotland. He was a huge influence on how I ride and produce the horses. On the whole, I find the people involved fantastic. I’ve found that, if you are willing to take on advice, people are more than willing to help you.

“I’m very fortunate that we have such a great team here in the yard. We all bounce off each other, and help in all the phases; if anyone needs help, there is always someone who is happy to give it. Steven and Trevor are both very experienced in the jumping and are a great help with that.

“A great friend of mine, Claire Palmer, regularly helps me with the horses and is willing to get up early and travel to shows or help in the yard. My parents, Jean and Tommy, have always been a great support to me. One of my favourite days in sport was at the 2024 Balmoral qualifier; I was second in the five-year-old class and Carl won the six and seven-year-olds. My mum and dad were both there to watch. We aren’t often at the same shows any more, so it was great to do that as a family.

“Looking ahead, I’ve been placed in a few four-stars and I would really love to win one. I would also love to be selected to ride on a senior team. Developing the horses so they can be consistently considered for the senior team; that is my ambition.”