Edward Doyle

Edward Doyle comes from a family steeped in the Irish Horse tradition and has carved out a hugely successful career as an international showjumping rider, breeder, trainer and sales agent. The Doyle family is a household name and Edward has consistently represented Ireland throughout his career. He has also enjoyed worldwide success as a producer / breeder of some elite showjumping horses which have gone on and competed at the very top of the International and Olympic stage.

Born in Dublin on the 9th of May, Edward started riding at the age of 4 and started competing when he was 7 years old. Edward's pony career will always be remembered with his association with Ashfield Bobby Sparrow, and the combination burst onto the international show jumping scene when they took the European Pony Championships title in Belgium in 1981.

With his first horse, James Bond, they won 5 National Grand Prix classes and headed up a class at the European Young Rider Championships at Donaueschingen, Germany in 1984.

Since those early years Edward has established himself as a regular member of the Irish team, and during the 90's he was twice National Champion. In 1995 he rode the thoroughbred mare Flex to a memorable victory when beating the world famous partnership of Trevor Coyle and the Irish bred stallion Cruising in a scintillating final jump off class. He repeated the feat in 1997 when snatching victory aboard his European championship mount, Windgates King Koal. Edward represented Ireland at the World championships on the homebred Love Me Do and was a team member of a Aga Khan Cup winning team on the same horse. In 1999 he was on the Irish team for the European Championships and that year saw him win international classes at Calgary, Dublin, Hickstead, Millstreet and finish runner up in the Hickstead Derby on the relatively inexperienced Ears To You. Since the start of the 21st century Edward has been a regular squad member for Ireland. In 2000 he captained the winning team at Athens CSIO and these Nation's Cup appearances continued on horses such as Windgates King Koal, Cor D'alme Z, Last Orders Club Effective and Sequoyah Farms Utopia. In 2008 Edward made 5 Samsung Super League appearances for Ireland, along with a great Spring campaign in Wellington, Florida.

2012 saw Edward's breeding programme continue to flourish with another homebred Flexible winning the Rolex World Cup final in the Netherlands. Flexible is currently the highest ranking Irish-bred show jumper, (July 2012). This tradition continues with Flexible's 1/2 brother Samgemgee jumping in his first Nations Cup for Ireland in Gijon. In 2012 Samgemgee has jumped Nations Cup at Lummen, Copenhagen and Lisbon and also been placed in both Grand Prix at Lisbon and Copenhagen. 

Achievements So Far

• Twice National Champion in 1995 and 1997
• Top International Show Jumping breeder award 2008 - 2012.  This was awarded to Edward at the Irish Sport Horse Breeders' Awards in recognition of Flexible who was bred at Edward's base in Punchestown House.
• Winner of International classes at Dublin, Millstreet, Hickstead, Calgary, St Gallen, Berlin, Modna, Villamora etc.
• Competed at the European & World Championships.