RODRIGO Pessoa will leave Team Ireland at the end of the month, he officially announced yesterday (Friday). Despite last week declaring his wish to continue as the senior show jumping team manager through to next summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games, Pessoa confirmed no agreement could be reached while he wanted to ride.

“We were going back and forth. It was hard when I had it in my head that I wanted to ride. It is hard to do the job and then get up and ride myself,” Pessoa told The Irish Field.

He has mixed feelings about leaving the job after three years. “It is always hard to walk away from something good. Overall, it was a very positive experience, we had some ups and downs, but I am walking away happy and feeling accomplished. It is the right thing to do.

“When you are the manager, there are ups and down but I have no hard feelings towards anyone. I enjoyed my time, it was a phenomenal journey,” he said.

He described winning the team gold medal at the 2017 European Championships and the Nations Cup Final last month as “the beginning and ending of a fairy tale. They are memories that will stay with me forever.”

Pessoa said he believes Ireland can get on the podium in Tokyo, and he hopes Horse Sport Ireland will ensure the least disruption for the team with just over eight months until the Games begin. “In the best interest of the team going forward, I hope there will be the least disruption possible.

“I truly believe Ireland is very close to achieving an Olympic medal and it would be a shame to make big changes now.”

Whether Pessoa gets selected to ride for Brazil at the Olympic Games or not, he will be in Tokyo next summer. “I told Joe Reynolds today, I am happy to help with the team in any way I can.”

Asked for his best memory, he answered: “The best memory, the most intense memory, was the last round in Gothenburg [at the 2017 European Championships].

“It [a win] hadn’t been done in so many years. I am a hard man to have emotion but that was special.

“Achieving qualification in Barcelona; for the last four rides, my heart was in my mouth. I was thinking we are so close here, the guys did an unbelievable job. The relief was incredible.”

While he will concentrate on riding – his Olympic hopeful is the 10-year-old gelding Quality Z – and on his family for now, Pessoa said he would love to hold the role as a chef d’equipe again in the future.

“I will do it again one day – I don’t know for who or when,” he said.

Search is on

The search begins for Pessoa’s replacement as Senior High Performance Jumping Director. A statement from Horse Sport Ireland said they will shortly commence the process.

HSI chair Joe Reynolds and CEO Ronan Murphy wished Pessoa well. “Representing your country at the Olympics is one of the highest honours in sport and we wish Rodrigo the very best on this journey. From an Irish perspective, his decision to seek a position on the Brazilian team, which will compete against Team Ireland in Tokyo, makes it impossible for him to continue as Senior High Performance Jumping Director at Team Ireland. Everyone at HSI wishes him all the best on a personal level as he seeks to represent his country again next year,” Reynolds said.

CEO Ronan Murphy added: “Rodrigo has been an integral part of the successful securing of Team Ireland’s place at Tokyo. However, we totally understand the draw of representing his country and participating as a Brazilian athlete in Tokyo.”

Chairman of HSI’s senior High Performance jumping committee, Gerry Mullins, who worked and travelled alongside Pessoa, added: “Rodrigo expertly guided Team Ireland to secure qualification for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

“He has played an historic part in the management of the team, was an integral part in the success of the team, and has been a valued and respected colleague during his term. We are all incredibly grateful to him for that.”