Countdown continues to Olympia for Clarke
Ballivor rider Gerard Clarke is this week fine-tuning plans for his trip to London next week where he will compete for the first time at the Olympia Horse Show after he received an invite to the big pre-Christmas event.
Clarke set a new record last month by clearing 2.20m to win the Kingsland puissance with Zanzibar V at Cavan Equestrian Centre and that was sufficient for an invitation to compete at the Alltech Christmas Puissance on Thursday next, 19th December.
That event will be the highlight for the Ballivor rider who will also be in action in separate showjumping events on the Wednesday and the Sunday.
The 22-year-old is looking forward to the challenge of tackling the puissance competition with his impressive nine-year-old Zanzibar V which he describes as “having a nice temperament” for the pressure of a competition at the prestigious London arena.
Clarke, a native of Rolestown, which is near Ashbourne, moved to Ballivor about seven years ago and completed his education at St Fintina’s in Longwood.
“I suppose I could be described as a blow in from Dublin, but I like it here in Meath and the people are very friendly, I’m either here in Ballivor or on the road, it’s as simple as that,” he commented.
“The puissance title is what I’m aiming for at Olympia, I’m not sure at this stage what the opposition will be, but I'm not going there to finish third or fourth, I want to win the event and I have a horse that I believe is good enough,' he added.
Conall Collier