Irish show jumper Cameron Hanley and event rider Aoife Clark were in Straffan, Co Kildare, earlier this week to accept their prizes at the The Irish Field awards in The K Club.

Hanley, who made a remarkable return from injury in 2013, was presented with the senior show jumper of the year award, while Clark was honoured with the senior event rider crown.

Germany-based Hanley had been sidelined since June 2011 when he injured his knee in a freak accident while playing with his children in his garden at home. He required 17 operations before he returned to form. After initially recording some good results at two- and three-star shows with his new team of horses, he travelled to Wiesbaden in May and won the five-star Grand Prix on Antello Z, his first success at that level for four years.

He also formed part of the Irish squad during the year and was instrumental in helping to secure victory in the Spruce Meadows Nations Cup, where he jumped a double-clear. Hanley was also part of the team that claimed bronze at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup final in Barcelona last September.

Accepting his award, Cameron said: “It is really great to be back in the saddle and I would like to especially thank my wife, Evelyn, for helping me to get here. Without her, I would not be back riding. The double clear at Calgary in my first Nations Cup since my layoff was, for me, the stand out moment of last year.”

Eventing success

Clark enjoyed one of her most successful seasons in 2013, highlighted by victory at Blenheim Palace on PJ Hegarty’s homebred mare, Fenyas Elegance. Clear for jumping in both phases, they took the win after adding just four cross-country time faults to their dressage score.

The following month, Clark travelled with her young horses to Le Lion d’Angers, where she claimed a silver medal on the Irish-bred Fernhill Adventure. She ended the 2013 season as the highest-placed Irish rider in the world rankings, coming in at 15th place.

Bertram Allen was presented with the inaugural Gain Horse Feeds/The Irish Field star of the year award. Along with winning an individual silver medal at the European Junior Championships, he was the leading international rider at the Dublin Horse Show and clocked up a host of victories across Europe.

Also present for the awards ceremony was Roland Tong, who accepted the senior dressage rider of the year award. Having only declared for Ireland in 2012, Tong has quickly become one of Ireland’s top riders, ending last year as the best-placed Irish rider in the world rankings.

Stars of the future were also honoured. Kildare rider Elizabeth Hayden won the junior event rider of the year award for her part in Ireland’s gold medal-winning junior eventing team at the European Championships. She also won individual silver when completing on her dressage score with her mount, Miracle. Co Kilkenny rider Susan Fitzpatrick took time out from her mock Leaving Certificate exams to accept the junior show jumping rider of the year. At the European Pony Show Jumping Championships, she was part of Ireland’s bronze medal-winning team and also claimed individual gold on Rock Dee Jay.