Text © World of Showjumping

“There is no manual to life, is there?” Ireland’s Michael Duffy says to World of Showjumping as we sit down to speak about his career, what it takes to break through at the top and reflect on where the sport is heading. “It is not easy to make it to the highest level, and it is getting harder as the costs are rising. Furthermore, the access to good horses is getting limited because there are more people to buy them… There are more top riders now than there ever was before, and less superstar horses available. Hence, I believe success comes down to surrounding yourself with great people.” 

For Duffy, who comes from a strong equestrian background, riding has always been the obvious career choice. “I never thought about doing anything else, it was the horses from the get-go – even though I did many other sports growing up,” he says. “My grandfather was a course builder; he built at venues such as Spruce Meadows and London Olympia, and he was a top man. My dad rode, he was a very good horseman as well, and jumped on some Irish Nations Cup teams. We had a riding school at home in Ireland, with lots of ponies and horses, so I grew up in this environment. I think if showjumping ceases to exist tomorrow, Irish people would still be riding horses. It is a way of life for us, more so than a sport. Ireland is a horse country and that is never going to change, there is the genuine love for the animal there – I think the Irish set-up is special.” 

As Helena says, if you rest, you rust – you cannot stop

After leaving home as a 17-year-old to work for Shane Breen, Duffy quickly started a business on his own and spent a decade in England before moving over to Eschweiler, Germany, where he for the last year has rented stables from Helena and Tim Stormanns. “I spend most of my time in Eschweiler now and run my business out of Helena and Tim’s place,” he tells about his current set-up. “It works really well; we work together on different horses. Hibernia Sport Horses is one of the companies I’m involved in, together with the Nell-family that lives in Ireland. We have bought a lot of young horses and we have broodmares as well. The idea is to buy mares and breed with them as well as buying and producing young horses.”

“I also do a lot of training; I have 5-6 training clients,” Duffy continues. “I try not to keep too many horses for myself, usually between 8-10. I have four horses that have jumped five-star Grand Prix classes this year, and I have jumped 1.60m on six different horses this year. We are working hard and it is starting to pay off a bit. I do whatever needs to be done, and I have great people around me. You just have to be organized and keep working hard. As Helena says, if you rest, you rust – you cannot stop.” 

There is nothing rusty about Duffy though. This year, the 29-year-old – currently 75th on the Longines Ranking – helped the Irish team to silver at the 2023 European Championships in Milan, Italy, with his incredible Cinca 3 (Casall x Carthago, bred by Peter Wylde and owned by Hibernia Sport Horses Ltd). After being reserve for the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon (USA), and competing at the 2021 European Championships in Riesenbeck (GER), Milan was Duffy’s second senior championship appearance. “It is just another week, the same as another show – just a bit longer and tougher. You have to treat it the same,” Duffy says. “Naturally, you are going to try harder, but you should try to keep everything similar. I don’t think I get nervous, but I would be very focused and driven, I would be very set and determined to what I am doing. If you have everything organized and everything is done correctly, your horse is fit and healthy – and I know mine is good enough, I know I can ride these courses – and you got all your items organized, what is there to be nervous about, you know? You just need luck on the day.” 

Ireland is a horse country and that is never going to change, there is the genuine love for the animal there 

Milan was only the 12th show Duffy jumped with Cinca, but despite their relatively new partnership the two had no problems delivering under pressure. “In Ireland, we grow up riding lots of different horses and Cinca’s mentality is amazing – she is a great fighter,” Duffy says. “It is a funny story with her. When we started Hibernia Sport Horses in 2022, we were looking for an older mare. I bumped into Peter Charles in Oliva, whose daughter was riding Cinca at the time. We bought her quickly. She is 14, but all horses are nearly a year younger now due to Covid, and she has been well produced – never over-jumped – so she is still very fresh for her age.” 

After taking team silver with the Irish squad in Milan, Duffy qualified for the individual final – well in contention for podium. “I might not have a superstar name such as von Eckermann and these guys, but prior to Milan my horse had been in the top five in four five-star Grand Prix classes, double clear in the Nations Cup in Rotterdam, and didn’t touch a fence in Dublin, so I was confident going in,” Duffy – who has a collection of medals from the youth championships and has produced several horses that have gone on to be successful on the highest level – tells. “I wasn’t surprised, I was actually planning to be a touch closer as I wanted to be quicker on the first day.”  

To be financially punished for putting my horse first seems contradictory to the FEI’s message of horse welfare being paramount

However, after two fences down in the first round of the individual final, Duffy opted not to take part in the second round. According to the rules, the prize money for the second round is divided between those who actually take part – which after Duffy decided to withdraw left him with 50% less than if he would have crossed the start line in round two. “A championship is always a big ask for our horses, and as I had no chance for a medal, it was in my horse’s best interest to not compete and save her for another day. To be financially punished for putting my horse first seems contradictory to the FEI’s message of horse welfare being paramount,” he says. 

As a younger rider, the future of the sport is something Duffy thinks about and he believes the sport needs to be protected. “I am not sure it has been protected the right way as of yet. There are many issues that need to be addressed and handled, but possibly in a bit more delicate way. The welfare of the horse is paramount and should come first, and yet, there are rules that are so contradictory it makes you scratch your head. Like organizing championships in hot countries in the middle of July, I don’t believe this to be in the best interest of the horses.” 

The welfare of the horse is paramount and should come first, and yet, there are rules that are so contradictory it makes you scratch your head

“Another point is how the current rules are implemented and followed, and how issues are communicated. Why is the FEI so focused on something like a spur rub, while way more impactful issues – such as stable security and poor air quality – are being totally neglected?” Duffy asks.

“When it comes to communication, I think the terms used should be carefully considered. What good does it do to our sport to write in a press release that someone was eliminated due to a “blood-rule” – a term that isn’t even correct – and announce that to a 30,000 strong audience? I believe the wider public is uneducated in how we treat our horses, and it is about misinformation. Many issues could be solved with education. I don’t care what anyone says, horses weigh half a tonne, and you cannot make them jump over a fence if they don’t want to – even Marcus Ehning cannot do that. Horses have to want to do it,” Duffy says. 

While Duffy has given a lot of thought to the issues the sport is dealing with, he does not have the answers and finds trying to take part in the discussions frustrating. “We have such a unique sport; it should attract more outside attention and it should be made more accessible,” he says. “Our sport needs good people, who are pushing the sport for the right reasons, in the right direction. If you genuinely believe something you should stand up and say it. However, I have been to the FEI Sports Forums and to the FEI’s meetings, but eventually, when you see all these great ideas never being acted upon, you lose interest – it gets frustrating. And right now, I am at a point in my career where I just want to focus on what I do best; riding.” 

I don’t think it is a job to anyone of us, and if you look at it as one, you are not doing it right

And, after his first senior medal in Milan, Duffy is now working towards Paris. “Just keep working, keep building,” he says about his future plans. “I just love horses in general. Any day you get to spend time with a horse, I don’t think it is a job to anyone of us, and if you look at it as one, you are not doing it right. I never once thought at 6am that I didn’t want to go to the stables; it is such a privilege to work with horses. You have to respect them and spending time with them is reward enough.”

3.10.2023 No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply.