GROWING up in the “moving statue” country of Ballinspittle, Co Cork, John Roche wasn’t sure of the exact life path he would take, but he never thought he would end up spending the majority of his life living in the USA as an American citizen.

Like many other Irish horse professionals who have gone to America to make a living, John’s name doesn’t appear in The Irish Field all too often, although, ironically, it was in last week’s international pages when Israeli show jumper Sydney Shulman credited his training system.

Roche trains the young Olympic hopeful at his JR Show Stables, the company he set up just four years ago with his wife Chelsea. Home for the pair and their two children, Quinn (3) and Grace (1), is Wellington, Florida, while winters are spent in the beautiful surroundings of Kentucky.

I had to start the interview by asking what everyone is thinking – is he any relation to him namesake, former FEI Jumping Director and Army Captain John Roche?

“No relation at all,” he said in his Cork accent, inevitably with an American twang after 22 years in the country. “But years ago in Millstreet, I went and got his autography and the Army fella laughed when I told him my name!”

Roche travelled to Florida for a three month “working holiday” in early 1998. “The idea was I was going to come for the three months and go home and live happily ever after,” he explained.

Son of Michael and Kathleen and brother of Michael, John had all he needed back home, so he thought. After finishing school, he began riding with John Murphy of Highfort Stud, who rode the one horse that the family had all through the years, before starting his own small business at home, breaking and producing horses.

Once getting his visa to work in America, he never looked back, and found his niche in life – helping others of all levels. “Once I came to America, I didn’t have a big focus on getting in the ring. What I was doing then was getting on horses and preparing them for the rider. Little did I know at the time that was going to become my niche in life.

“After two years here, I worked with Jimmy Doyle. Again, I was doing the background riding, getting the horses ready and jumping at home. Funny enough, I didn’t do any training until I went to work for Shane Sweetnam about 10 or 12 years ago.

“When I did get the opportunity to train at Shane’s, I loved it. The enjoyment of making someone a bit better, or making their day, that is what I loved.”

Reaching goals

Roche’s training business has taken off since those early days, and success at the highest level has been plentiful, particularly with young American show jumpers Wilton and Lucas Porter as well as Shulman.

But it’s not all about ribbons and medals for the down-to-earth Cork man. “It is great to be at the big ring, but if you were down in the third or fourth ring, that’s great too. I don’t have to be at the big ring.

“The kid who gets around the course for the first time, that is as good to me. For me, it is all about helping someone to get their goals where they didn’t think they could.”

In 2014, Roche helped the Porter brothers both win gold at the North American Championships during his time working for their Sleepy P Ranch. Lucas was the junior gold medallist, while Wilton won the young rider gold. “I suppose, I take a lot of pride in that,” he said.

“Those championships, while they are not quite the Europeans, it is hard to have that many clear rounds and being brothers, that was a great time. I probably still look back at that [fondly], they were quite successful years. I helped them get to that bigger level.”

They now train with Dutchman Jeroen Dubbledam but Roche still looks out for the pair. “Any time I see them now in the ring, I still feel an attachment with them. I always look out for them and cheer for them a bit.”

John and Chelsea made the move out on their own four years ago, and haven’t looked back, with up to 20 horses in their care, as well as outside clients.

“That was a big move. It seemed like a monstrous move at the time, having worked the private jobs with the comfort of the pay cheque. Chelsea was the one who said ‘Come on, we have to do this!’”

Sligo man Declan McGarry is a huge part of the business and Roche can’t say enough good about him. “Jez he’s great.

“His path is similar enough to mine. He will compete one or two in the ring if he has to but, like myself, he is as content in helping someone else get to the ring. Maybe one day Declan will get his wings and do his own thing. Myself and Chelsea are very thankful to him, he is a big part of what we do.”

John Roche and Declan McGarry

The system

“Over here, you end up with your own system. We have a lot of belief in ours. We get on every horse that is competing that day and do 20 to 30 minutes work with them so when the student gets on, it’s easier to train them because we know where the horse is on that given day. That seems to work for us.”

Shulman is perhaps his most high profile client, and with Israel qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games, she has one eye on that target, although Roche is eager to play it down.

The American-born youngster, who qualifies to ride for Israel through her grandparents, jumped on her first senior Nations Cup team during week eight at WEF and won the overall Under 25 Grand Prix series, as well as finishing runner-up to Darragh Kenny in the final Grand Prix of the circuit.

“She was always competitive,” he says of Shulman, “she has gotten more mileage and experience now and has gotten more calculated.

“There are probably seven or eight riders, and only four will go [to Tokyo]. We maybe quietly have our eye on it. It’s not like ‘we have to go to the Olympics’ but we probably like to think we have a nice plan and we are there if they need her.”

Roche also trains American rider David Oberkircher whom he has helped progress from the High Amateur level to jump his first four-star Grand Prix.

Family

While John stays outside the ring, his wife Chelsea is a keen rider and ended the 2020 WEF season as the Rushy Marsh Farm 1.30m Open Jumper circuit champion with her mare Astika.

“She won seven 1.30s this circuit. She helps run and manage the business as well as the kids. Some mornings, she will drop Quinn to school, miss the course walk and we piece it together and she will go and jump.

Chelsea Roche and Astika were the 1.30m open jumper circuit champions at WEF 2020 \ Kaitlyn Karssen

“She likes to be in the ring so we always have one for her. She would like to think if we had a Grand Prix horse, she could go a bit bigger. It’s great for her.”

Roche’s parents have never been out to visit, but they follow every move he makes, and he tries to get home at least twice a year.

“You never forget where you come from, but America is home for me now. Without mentioning names, I am very thankful to everyone who helped me along the way, took me under their wing.

“The biggest teacher of all is the horse. They are all a bit different; we are all trying to find the right formula.”