Name: Jamie Garland
Age: 24
Parents: Robert and Jill Garland (sister: Zoe Garland)
From: Kill, Kildare
What is your occupation? I’m a full-time maths and P. E. teacher at The High School, Dublin
What are your top animals? Zedlepplin: rising 10-year-old, home-bred gelding competing on the National Grand Prix circuit, by Luidam out of my mother’s home-bred Cavalier Royale mare.
Teddy: New addition to the team, rising four-year-old gelding, by Dallas (VDL Douglas) out of a Harlequinn du Carel mare.
Zorro Zorro: rising eight-year-old, home-bred full-brother to Zed, Luidam x Cavalier, late career start but jumping 1.10s showing great scope with dad.
One More Mo: rising five-year-old, home-bred gelding just starting his showjumping career, by Olympic Orestus out of Grade A showjumping mare, Mill Heights, that Fiona Campbell competed in the young riders in the RDS, and many GPs. Dad is producing him.
Trainer: My father, Robert Garland
Where do you see yourself based in future years? I love my current lifestyle, teaching as a profession and keeping the horses as my hobby. It can be manic sometimes, and a lot of hard work and late evenings, especially in winter, but to have the freedom to travel and compete during the summer makes it all worthwhile in the end. I’d hope that in the future I will still be competing and producing home-bred horses for the love of it, perhaps in a small yard of my own.
Who has influenced your career so far? My father has been a huge inspiration to me, guiding me through school, university and my journey with the horses. He was able to compete internationally, run a livery yard and produce his own home-breds, while still teaching maths in Wesley College Dublin. He lent Zed to me to try and qualify for the Young Rider class in the RDS four years ago and has entrusted him to me ever since. At the time, I didn’t think I would be able to manage such a big excitable horse, but after a year, we had climbed from 90cm to 1.30m.
I could not be more grateful to my dad for all his support and patience in helping me get to and compete at Grand Prix level. People don’t realize the amount of training and ground work he puts in, and all the weekends he sacrifices to help me achieve success and be competitive at such a high level.
Who is the rider you most look up to and why: I don’t have a rider I most look up to. I know so many amazing riders who I admire for so many different reasons. One of which is William Funnell. After visiting one of his yards in England last year, I was blown away by his knowledge and passion for the sport and his connection with his horses. The Billy Stud is such an impressive operation, and his partnership with his wife Pippa is inspiring. He is an incredible rider who has a lovely manner with his horses. Watching him win the Hickstead Derby last year was very special.
What are you major achievements and/or wins? Placing in my first 1.40 international class at Cavan CSI* 2018; completing the Cavan Indoor Derby 2018; placing in numerous 1.40 Grands Prix 2017 and 2018; ProAm wins in numerous Spring Tours 2017 and 2018; winner of the Zurich CHIU Student Nations Cup September 2016.
What do you think could help the industry in Ireland? More sponsorship for Irish riders and producers, especially amateur riders; bigger prize money for the Irish GP leagues to keep our Irish riders at home; more buying power to keep Irish horses in the country competing for our nation and
more training programs for young riders.
What are your goals for 2019? To compete at more international shows such as Balmoral CSI2*, Mullingar CSI2*, Millstreet CSI2* and Cavan CSI*; compete at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting in June; compete Zed in our first 1.50 class and qualify Teddy for the RDS four-year-old class.