The post was officially offered to him and, even though the selectors had set different parameters from those requested by Macken, he agreed to take on the job, which would cover all nine of the Samsung Super League rounds plus the Olympic Games in Athens.
A request from Macken for some input into the selection procedure for teams was denied and the job description given to him at the February 17th meeting basically left his hands tied. He was there solely in an advisory capacity, with full control resting with the chef d'equipe, Tommy Wade, who had guided the Irish to team gold at the European Championships in Wade had also overseen Dermott Lennon's march to world championship honours in Jerez, Spain, the following year.
Macken's first outing wearing his team trainer's hat came at La Baule in early May, when the Samsung Super League kicked off at the French venue. Despite a second place in the league rankings last year, the Irish slumped to a depressing joint sixth of eight teams at the seasonal opener, although Kevin Babington restored morale somewhat by claiming the Grand Prix two days later. Results at the next two Nations Cup meetings were even worse: seventh of eight nations in Rome at the end of May and then equal seventh of nine teams in Lucerne last weekend.
With equestrianism named by the Irish Sports Council as one of five sports expected to produce medals at this summer's Olympic Games, questions were being asked about how the formula had suddenly gone so wrong.
The selectors took immediate action, meeting last Tuesday night and reaching a unanimous decision that Macken had to go. On one of his rare visits back to his native Ireland, Eddie had made the long journey from his home in Langley, British Columbia. He was in search of a young horse for one of his show jumping clients, most of which are based along the west coast of Canada, right down to San Diego, California.
His latest quest had taken him the length and breadth of Ireland in just three days, but thankfully, it was not in vain. Sadly it is not an Irish-bred horse, which we would have preferred, but good, young Irish-bred horses are hard to find. And the ones that are out there are not easily bought. However, Eddie is fortunate to have the help of his son Stevie one of two sons, along with Jamie, from his first marriage to Susanne who lives in Holland, and his friend Robert Daly in Ireland, in sourcing suitable horses.
It was Macken's first time on an Irish equestrian team in more than a decade. The Irish team finished 2nd behind Great Britain, but later lost this placing after Macken was charged with a technical violation regarding doping tests by the FEI.
Biography Lists News Also Viewed. Eddie Macken. After Boomerang and Pele retired, Eddie continued in international competition, but without the real star horse that would recapture those glory days. By he was back in Germany, riding for industrialist Michael Nixdorf and after meeting Kathi Ballentine, later to become his second wife, he moved to Canada in the early s. Meath, the property comprises 10 acres, with 20 stables and indoor and outdoor schools. Only two years before that, he was back at Hickstead for the first time in a decade and from there he went on to Dublin, where he was a member of the second-placed Nations Cup Irish team.
In he had been appointed trainer to the Irish team in the lead-up to the Athens Olympics. At the age of 70, Eddie says that his riding days are now over. He was everything you wanted him to be and could jump anything you asked.
Our fourth Hickstead Derby win was the most precious. Boomerang then gave his all. She was the queen of Ireland at the time and although she could be a bit intimidating if you got things wrong, she was actually extremely kind. Although the GCT is a good thing, I tell the riders I train that they should get grands prix and hopefully team appearances under their belt before doing those shows. Modern showjumping is a very demanding sport and horses cost so much these days.
Only in Ireland would major roads in the capital be closed for a horse show and most of the country settle down to watch the Nations Cup on prime time TV.
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