SOME of the greatest horses in Irish racing history were born or once stood at Brownstown Stud on the edge of the Curragh where Sean Burgess and Mark Ruddock now run M&S Simply Dressage.

Where the McGrath family raised the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Levmoss, the Derby victor Arctic Prince and the great stayer Le Moss, who claimed multiple Gold Cups, Burgess and Ruddock are now helping to raise the bar in Irish dressage.

As mentioned in recent features in this newspaper, both in the racing and sport horse sections, top equestrians can come from both horsey and non-horsey families and Mark and Sean fall into the second category as Ruddock, spokesperson for the couple, reveals.

“Sean is originally from Dublin and didn’t start riding until the age of 12 when he worked at a riding school in Stepaside in exchange for lessons. Ena de Lacy Staunton gave him his first formal coaching and loaned him ponies to compete on.

“Later, after school and during holidays, he worked at Jean Morton’s Killegar Riding School where he also helped her produce her smart young horses,” Ruddock explains.

“I had similar experiences in North Yorkshire where I left school at 16 to take up a position as working pupil in Rosemary Search’s eventing yard where she bred the multiple medal-winner Opposition Buzz. It was there that I started working for the BHS AI exams.

“We both evented but I had a rotational fall at Tweseldown in 1998 which put paid to my nerve! Sean competed up to the old two-star (now three-star) level on the Louella Inschallah gelding My Learned Friend while running a successful competition/livery yard.

“However, given the expense and horsepower needed to event, Sean decided that dressage was a more viable option. This was the route I also followed and I was fortunate to be given a horse to rehab called Baby Duck who I rode at Grand Prix level.”

Mark, who also produced six other horses from novice to FEI level but sold them on, won 18 regional titles and competed at numerous British Dressage National Championships. Sean, who specialised in young and difficult horses, competed up to Prix St Georges level, winning regional competitions and a five-year-old international class at the premier league in Hickstead.

A big move

Unfortunately for the pair, who were based for 25 years near Lingfield in Surrey, the owner of their yard died in 2016 and the establishment had to be sold. It was then they decided to move to Ireland as Mark explains.

“Well, for a start, Sean’s family is here and I had been a regular visitor over a few years for judge training. I could see the sport of dressage was growing rapidly in popularity and the enthusiasm and desire to learn was fantastic so the timing seemed right.

“We travel back to England (or will do again as soon as restrictions are lifted!) as I am the British Dressage Eastern Region coach, and have been for 10 years, while Sean will ride a few horses for clients when over there.

“We really love it here and what a beautiful place we are in. We have been made very welcome and have some fantastic clients. Sean has reconnected with old friends including Heidi Hamilton who he went to primary school with. Bizarrely, when Sean was working as an extra on the movie Braveheart, the horses were stabled at this yard which we rent from Rob and Gill Draper.”

Facilities at Brownstown include the large airy stables which were typical of old racing yards, a sand and fibre outdoor arena with floodlights and training mirrors, an indoor school, an eight-horse walker, wash-bay and solarium.

In conjunction with the training sessions and clinics, a livery business which is open to all disciplines was established on site a year ago by Georgia Sharp who worked with Mark and Sean in Britain. “We don’t just work with riders as we also take in horses for short or long-term schooling,” commented Mark.

Ruddock and Burgess brought two horses with them when moving across to Ireland. “The older of them, Arabella, is due to foal next month to the Dutch Warmblood stallion Ebony, a son of Painted Black who competed at the London Olympics. This will be her second foal. Arabella is a 15-year-old British Warmblood who Sean competed at Medium level.

“The second horse, who left England with 71 British Dressage points, is Fig on whom Sean won the Novice Category 3 title at Dressage Ireland’s National Championships in Cavan last September when they also won the Novice Freestyle Championship.

“Fig, who was given to us by a longtime supporter, Sarah Arrowsmith, is a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Fidertanz out of the Donnerruf mare Dubai. Restrictions allowing, Fig’s main aim this year will be winning another national championship.

“One horse I keep a close eye on back in Britain is Dream On, a 2007 chesnut mare by Dimaggio who we gave to my niece Roxanne Shirley and is now competing at Grand Prix level.”

No snobbery

Sean and Mark firmly believe that anyone can improve their horse but they particularly like to see riders enjoying their horses as well. They are keen to stress that they are far from snobs when it comes to coaching and that they will teach anyone at any level or any type of horse or pony.

“Sean grew up teaching in riding schools and likes nothing more than coaching riders who started out in that environment. I started teaching during my BHSAI training but it wasn’t something I was very confident with at the beginning. I then got involved with Warlingham Pony Club which developed my passion for teaching.

“During this time I became District Commissioner. I did it as nobody else wanted to do it and I felt strongly that, without the Pony Club in my childhood, I would not have had a career in horses and that if the branch closed there could be children like myself who would miss out.

“My coaching went alongside my riding career and, as I developed as a rider, so did my teaching. In 2009, Paul Hayler, who was British Dressage Eastern Region trainer, asked me if I would be his assistant, I jumped at the chance, and, when he retired from the position in 2010, I took over his role.

“I’m immensely proud of the Region because, as well as being very successful – having won the Home International three times – a great community spirit has developed around the Region with fantastic camps and regional trainers. Everyone feels worthwhile and they are encouraged to enjoy their own journey. It’s all pulled together by the amazing Katherine Perry and my wonderful righthand woman, Hayley Ldyard.

“Seven years ago, BD made it compulsory that all coaches had to take the UKCC coaching exam. I wasn’t alone in thinking, really? We know what we are doing! However, I have to say it was the best thing I have done, it gave another aspect to my coaching and made me think outside the box.

“As with a lot of things in life, I think if you have an inspirational teacher it makes you want to do it and I had a wonderful lady called Jill Day who was amazing.

“The coaching side of our business has grown more and more with people sending us horses and, with time and experience, you develop the skills to explain what you are doing with them. We conduct a watch and discuss session where Sean rides a client’s horse whilst I sit with them and discuss what he is working on with their horse.

“We both do lessons at the yard and while I travel around the country to do clinics, Sean heads out to ride horses for people in their own yards. He works closely with Camilla Speirs and Sarah Ennis and, when working with Robbie Kearns and Jane O’Flynn’s Master McCormack, their scores went from being in the 50s to the 30s. We also have eventing clients in Britain, including Francis Whittington.”

Among those to recognise and utilise Mark’s talents as a dressage coach is Janet Murray whose many roles includes that as chef d’equipe of the Irish contingent which travels each year to the World Championships for young event horses at Le Lion d’Angers in France.

“I was honoured on my first full year in Ireland to be asked by Janet to work with her and I found her inspiring,” commented Mark.

Mark Ruddock with Tom Freyne and Janet Murray at the World championships for young event horses at Le Lion d’Angers in France

“We had regular training for months in the run-up to the event and I got to travel to Le Lion in October with the squad. It was a fantastic experience working with such driven riders and I just loved it.

“I was also lucky enough to be asked by Ian Woodhead and Sally Corscadden to work on test riding with the senior team which was another privilege while both Sean and I have worked with show jumper Max O’Reilly Hyland.”

Commitment to Dressage Ireland

Burgess and Ruddock declare themselves fortunate to have been supported by some “amazing, loyal people” throughout their careers. This group includes Mark’s lifelong friend Lynn How “who got me an introduction to Alice Fox-Pitt who was involved in the start of Event Rider Masters TV.

“This led to me commentating on the series regularly. I found it really exciting to go around Europe commenting on the best riders in the world. I would sometimes think how strange that circumstances can lead into something you would never have imagined yourself doing.”

While both Burgess and Ruddock are members of Dressage Ireland, Mark has taken his commitment to the organisation a step further as he was voted on to the board at DI’s annual general meeting earlier this year.

“I was a member of British Dressage’s rules and fixtures committee for five years and witnessed the expansion of the sport after the country’s amazing results at the London Olympics and the subsequent need for restructuring in the sport.

“I feel that Dressage Ireland is in a similar situation with the team qualifying for the Olympic Games and the growing membership. Hopefully I can bring some of British Dressage’s good ideas and prevent some of their mistakes to the board. It wasn’t my intention when I moved over here to get on the board but, as I travel around the country a lot, I feel I can bring members’ opinions forward.

“The standard of dressage is improving rapidly in Ireland and our biggest challenge is for riders to believe in themselves more. Also, there’s a lot of native-bred horses here that are more than capable of going up the levels and, with good training and positive non-biased judging, riders will achieve their goals.

“Sean and I would rather have someone riding a safe, sane and willing partner than a fire-breathing Ferrari that you need a Valium before you get on – many amateur riders forget it’s their hobby and some horses are professional rides.

“One thing I would like to see changed is ‘conflict of interest’. Here, you can’t judge someone you have trained in the last six weeks while in England it’s just two. I really think six weeks is too long especially as there are only five List 1 judges in Ireland. I think a judge’s integrity should not be questioned and, anyway, nobody rides as well at a show as they do at home.”

Giving back

Since settling in Kildare, Burgess and Ruddock have run an annual bursary competition, offering a free lesson every month at Brownstown to the successful applicants. “As we were both given opportunities when young by people who didn’t need to do so, we wanted to give something back,” said Ruddock by way of explanation.

The pair have picked two contrasting senior winners, the first being Lindsey Ilona Brady, a Co Louth amateur who is chairman of Castle Hill Riding Club and a former chairman of the North Eastern Region of the AIRC. She works for the Office of Public Works.

“Lyndsey has become a good friend and is really enjoying her horse. She has progressed brilliantly and finished a very creditable sixth (66.944%) behind Sean and Fig (73.472) in the Novice Freestyle Championship at the Nationals last September.” Brady describes her horse, Trigger Joe, as a ‘Heinz 57 Irish Sport Horse’.

Sean Burgess and Mark Ruddock

Burgess and Ruddock had to sift through 90 applications before deciding on a short list of four and then, following a viewing day at Brownstown, the winner of this year’s bursary.

This was the Co Limerick-based professional rider and coach Tara Oliver who, on board Senators Rhonaldo, was reserve (70.091%) to Sean on Fig (70.992) in the Novice, Category 3 Championship in Cavan.

Mother of two, Oliver had a superb weekend in September with her five-year-old British-bred Rhondeo gelding and his stable-companion, the nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding Furst Romance.

“I have worked with Tara before,” revealed Mark. “The reason for her winning the bursary is the fact that she works so hard balancing children, running a yard and producing her own horses. She also has a natural talent that we hope, with support, will see her on the international stage.

“I feel very privileged to work here with Belinda Brereton and Liz Frayling who are both talented and passionate about dressage. Also, they are both very driven in their aims but, at the same time, they totally respect their horses which is something we would like to see all our clients replicate.”

There are many worse places to live in these very strange times than beside the Curragh of Kildare but Burgess and Ruddock are keen to return to coaching, competing and judging. “We can’t wait for this lockdown to end so everyone can get back to enjoying their horses.”

Amen to that.