Isabel Hurley
TOP Irish rider Cameron Hanley thanked his legion of fans for their “incredible support’’ in a very difficult week that saw him lose all but one of his top horses to another international rider.
However, the Co Mayo rider very sincerely thanked his EuroAsia sponsors and wished the horses’ new rider, Swiss native Pius Schwizer, every success with the talented string.
Hanley (41) has been part of the backbone of Ireland’s Nations Cup teams in recent years, returning to the top end of show jumping despite suffering a terrible freak knee injury that required almost 20 operations.
Over the last two years, Cameron has been sponsored by EuroAsia and rode the horses belonging to top international owners Eleonore Paschoud and Yves Bouvier. The couple proved very supportive of Ireland’s Nations Cup teams, always making their horses available under Hanley for the Irish senior squads.
However, following a EuroAsia decision taken earlier this week, the horses moved to Schwizer’s yard, with the possible exception of the talented Living The Dream who currently remains with Hanley.
There was an outpouring of messages of support and goodwill towards Cameron Hanley on social media when the news broke.
Speaking to The Irish Field, Cameron Hanley said: “The horses left last night and it was hard to see them go. The biggest thing for me is the loss of the horses themselves, I really love them all individually and I’m going to miss them. However, I cannot get overly upset about it. I have to get on and deal with it.”
Gone to Schwizer’s yard are Antello Z; Amira; Newton Du Haut Bois; Caretina De Joter; Player Du Quesnoy and Dundee Vd Dwerse Hagen.
Hanley is hopeful that negotiations with the owners will see Living The Dream remain with him.
“I would really like to thank both Eleonore and Yves very much for all their great support of me over the last two and a half years. Their support enabled me to get back to the very top end of the sport after my knee injury. Also Pius is a top class Swiss rider and I wish him all the luck in the world with the horses. They are all talented horses and deserve to be successful,’’ said Cameron.
Hanley and his family are very busy this week moving to a new yard and home in Osnabruk, Germany.
“It has helped that we are really busy with the big move this week. Our new yard is very pretty, very tidy, not overly big, a nice size. It’s about 30 minutes from my brother Carl’s yard. I’m really excited for us as a family, this will give us a chance to settle.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their kind mesages of support. It has been just incredible and it’s good to have that around me going forward. The unbelievable messages, all the goodwill towards me and my family - we are very thankful for it and it’s very much appreciated.
“My plan now is to start producing young horses more. It’s obviously very early days and I’m going to try and build up a few very good young horses,’’ said Hanley who is almost 25 years based in Europe now.
Hanley, who previously returned to the top international sport after the loss of the S.I.E.C. Sabanci horses, added that he was “a realist’’ and was under no illusions.