| Ciarán Nallon: Ready for the Biggest Home Start of His Career
"Ciarán is an exceptional talent. He's still very young, but incredibly composed for his age. He's a great rider - otherwise he wouldn't be riding for our team, especially not at our home event. Together with Casalla Blue PS, he's already delivered some fantastic rounds this season and contributed enormously to the team. He's earned this opportunity."
There is hardly higher praise than that coming from Philipp Weishaupt. As Team Riesenbeck International powered by HorseGym prepares for tomorrow’s home leg of the Global Champions League, all eyes are naturally on the established stars. Yet among them is one rider rapidly establishing himself as one of the sport's most exciting young talents. At just 24 years of age, Ciarán Nallon is the youngest member of the team, but certainly not there to make up the numbers.
Having joined Beerbaum Stables almost three years ago, the Irishman has steadily progressed through the ranks. Working alongside Ludger Beerbaum changed his outlook completely. "It wasn't just about riding horses," Nallon explains. "Coming here taught me everything that goes with it - horse management, developing young horses, patience and understanding the bigger picture of the sport."
Like so many successful Irish riders, horses were part of Nallon's life from the very beginning. "We have a family stable. My dad rode, and my mum's father also kept horses together with him. From a very young age I was always on ponies and travelling to shows with my dad."
There was never much doubt about his future. He laughs as he sums up the Irish way of life. "In Ireland, you either play football or you ride. Fortunately, I picked riding—and I think it's working out alright so far."
Learning a New System
Moving from Ireland to Germany required more than simply adapting to a new country. It meant learning an entirely different approach to producing horses and riders. "In Ireland you're almost thrown on a pony and told, 'Go and figure it out.' That teaches you so much because you're constantly making mistakes and learning from them."
Germany, he says, couldn't be more different. "Here everything is very structured. Riders learn the basics properly before moving on to the next step." Both systems have their strengths, he says. "I'd love something in between!"
Much of Nallon's success has come alongside the talented 10-year-old Hanoverian mare Casalla Blue PS. By Casallco out of a Chacco-Blue dam, she arrived at Beerbaum Stables as a five-year-old after Ludger Beerbaum recognised her potential. Following her international debut with Eoin McMahon and further education under Franz-Josef Steiner, Beerbaum believed she had found the right rider. "'I think she'd suit you,' Ludger told me," Nallon recalls with a smile. "To be honest, I wasn't so sure."
It proved to be a perfect match. The pair announced themselves by winning the CSI2* Grand Prix in Riesenbeck before progressing rapidly through the ranks. "After we jumped clear in the five-star class in Leipzig, Ludger said she might become part of the Global Champions League team.” Nallon laughs at the memory. "I honestly didn't think he was serious. She was still young and inexperienced, and so was I. Then suddenly, there we were."
The partnership has continued to flourish ever since. Now firmly established at five-star level, Casalla Blue PS has become a key member of Team Riesenbeck International. Earlier this season, she and Nallon delivered two faultless rounds in St Tropez, playing a crucial role in the team's stage victory and underlining why Beerbaum had placed his faith in both horse and rider.
Never Stop Looking Forward
Winning in St Tropez remains one of the highlights of Nallon's career, but he admits he rarely allows himself much time to reflect on what he has already achieved. "I probably should appreciate it more often," he says with a smile. "Sometimes you're already thinking about the next show and the next goal. But if I look back to where I was a year ago, standing outside watching and thinking maybe I'd get the chance in four or five years, then things have happened incredibly quickly."
Instead of dwelling on expectations, Nallon chooses to trust the people around him. "The team I have around me is unbelievable. My groom, Heather Field, knows all my horses inside out, especially Casalla. Ludger, Philipp and Christian all walk the course and they're always willing to share their experience."
That support allows him to focus entirely on the job ahead. "I'm more excited than I am nervous. If I let nerves get in the way, then all the advice those people are giving me becomes meaningless. I can actually enjoy these moments because I know I have the best people in the world helping me. If Ludger tells you you're ready, and everyone around you believes you're ready, then you have to trust them, get on with it and enjoy the opportunity."
Tomorrow, the young Irishman will have another opportunity to show why the team's confidence in him is so well placed. The first round of the Global Champions League competition will commence at 13:45 pm. Tickets are still available at the gate.
