SENIOR event rider Michelle Kenny is taking a step back from the sales side of her River Lodge Equestrian business to concentrate on her high performance career, and will be aiming to compete at the top international level in both eventing and show jumping.

“River Lodge is still my business but now that it has got to such a good level with great backing, it has given me the chance to really concentrate on myself,” Kenny said.

The 2013 European team bronze medallist set up River Lodge Equestrian seven years ago with business partner Rafael Sanctuary and the pair have overseen the expansion of the business into a lucrative sales stable, selling eventing and show jumping horses worldwide.

The 26-year-old made her Nations Cup debut at Military Boekelo in The Netherlands last October with RLE Aspe and has been named on the 2020 senior horizon squad by chef d’equipe Sally Corscadden, but is aiming big and hoping to qualify for September’s World Equestrian Games (WEG).

She travels to a WEG qualifier in Barroca d’Alva, Portugal, next month, and is aiming both RLE Aspe and Carlchen at qualification. “I have amazing event horses and you have to aim big,” the ambitious rider said.

Although eventing is her first discipline, Kenny plans on also competing at the highest level in show jumping this year. “I have really stocked up with a strong string of jumpers so I am going to try and do the two at a high level. I have taken on a lot, it is exciting on one hand but nerve wrecking on the other.

“While I have the backing, I am going to take it and run with it,” she said, adding that she has some exciting horses joining her string in the next couple of weeks, but remained tight-lipped on their names for now.

Kenny heads for a jumping show in France, before returning, repacking and heading to an event show in Portugal. From there, she will go on to the sunshine tour in Vilamoura and spend some time educating her talented team over coloured poles.

Kenny will base herself full-time at RLE’s British base in East Sussex for the 2018 season, giving her easier access to both show jumping and eventing shows in Europe.

READ MORE: River Lodge Equestrian recently featured in our transport feature, read it here.