about nicola
Nicola is an accomplished rider, sport horse producer and equestrian coach and has achieved prolific success in every category from pony, junior, young rider, student, young horse to senior show jumping level.
Following being crowned National Champion two years’ running in ponies as well as participating in the European Pony Championships, Nicola paired up with the seven-year-old Puissance and they formed an exceptional partnership, successfully progressed through the ranks to the very top level of show jumping globally. During their partnership they would make four European Championship team appearances for Ireland, win a Senior National Championship title (still being the youngest female athlete every to do so), achieve success at CSI5* Grand Prix and Nations’ Cup level globally as well as completing the Irish rider’s ultimate dream of selection for the Irish Team competing in the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse Show, where they helped Team Ireland to finish in runner-up position.
During this period, Nicola was also pursuing her studies in Trinity College Dublin, but upon graduating with a degree in Electronic Engineering, she chose to pursue her passion of show jumping over an engineering career. This business entails sourcing, training, competing and selling younger show jumping horses, as well as providing high-quality coaching, from her purpose-built yard in Co. Kildare.
Nicola would describe her three greatest strengths as being her determination, dedication and integrity and has a strong interest in learning and understanding the skills needed to be a successful rider and coach. She has spent time training with some of the world’s greatest riders, learning their system and developing her own unique system with this knowledge. Nicola has uniquely spent a considerable amount of her own training focusing on her flatwork skills and developing the rideability of the horses she produces, making them very attractive to both professional and high-level amateur riders as well as better competitors for the students she coaches.
Her professional achievements include:
