Ocala, FL – This week’s Ocala Sunday Spotlight shines on Ireland’s Daniel Coyle, who is currently ranked 14th on the Longines Jumping Ranking list. The talented 30-year-old Irishman has been a dominating force in the international Jumping world, claiming World Cup™ and five-star victories around the globe. He’s made World Equestrian Center – Ocala his winter destination and we had the chance to catch up with him to learn more about his career and his successful partnership with owner Ariel Grange.
WEC: Tell us a bit about yourself.
My father and my older brother jump, so it’s been in the family before I even realized it. They were always a whole lot better than me, and I suppose that made me try even harder. I left school pretty early and went to get a job riding. At that moment, I knew I was going to try and make riding a career.
A horse named Uptown Girl in Ireland really started my career. She had a big heart and could win every single week. She ended up retiring and a few different horses came through. The owners I was working with, one left the sport and the other passed away. I was sort of at an end and didn’t know what to do. I had no money, and I couldn’t survive. I didn’t have a college degree and no qualifications to do anything else. So, I packed a bag, and I decided I was going to go somewhere but didn’t know where.
A well-known horse dealer in Ireland, Barry O’Connor helped find me a job. He called me one morning and said, ‘I feel like Santa Claus, I got you a job in Wellington with Conor Swail.’ I spent however many months there in the winter and met Sue Grange, Ariel’s mother. She asked me to come to Canada to work for her, so I said of course. Maybe a year later, Conor left, and I said to Sue, ‘Are you going to give me a chance to ride,’ and she said, ‘If you can ride them Daniel, you can ride them, if you can’t, we will get someone else.’
Sue passed away and Ariel took over. She has done some incredible things with the operation. She’s invested in some amazing horses and has made an amazing job out of it. She knows when to buy and when to sell, and I am so unbelievably grateful for her.
WEC: Tell us about some of the standout horses that you have ridden in your career.
When Conor left, I got the ride on Cita. She won I don’t even know how many five-star grand prix, Nations Cup™ and World Cup™ events. She was the horse that I think had people really start to notice me because before that, I was just another rider. We started to be dangerous in big classes; she was an eye opener for everybody.
When Cita was in top form and in her prime, we had a long string of eight-year-olds, I believe five of them. Farona won a few four-star grands prix. Quintin is still going strong and has won a lot of five-star grands prix himself. Farrel who is just coming back into the sport won numerous World Cups competitions. Legacy of course, who speaks for herself has done outstanding things. Tienna was a homebred, and she won a few really big grands prix.
We had some of them since they were six years old. They were all so competitive. It’s crazy to think that all five succeeded in such a big way, we thought maybe two or three at the time, but all of them were just standout athletes. I don’t think we’ll ever get that lucky again.
WEC: How did it feel to have back-to-back World Cup victories earlier this year?
That’s the goal of our sport. To win one World Cup is amazing anywhere in the world, but two is just mind blowing. Legacy is in the prime of her life. She missed a full year because of COVID and a hoof issue, but I think that’s why she’s going as strong as she is now.
We were in London before Christmas, and she was third in the World Cup there then won the five-star grand prix the next day. Then she went to Leipzig and won the World Cup and the next week we went to Amsterdam and won the World Cup again. So really, she had four back-to-back amazing results. This has been an amazing year for me and her. I am thrilled that people are getting to see just how good she is.
WEC: What are your plans for the rest of the circuit and year?
The Paris Olympics is the plan if she’s happy and healthy. We hope to get selected for that, but that all remains to be seen.
I am also hoping to be selected for the Longines League of Nations™ event that’s being held here during the last week. I watched it the other week, and I have to say the new format is great. I think it will be amazing for this place, and I am so glad an event like that is coming here. This facility is top-notch and deserves a top-level competition such as that one.
WEC: Tell us a bit about your experience at World Equestrian Center – Ocala.
This is my first year here staying for the full circuit and I really like it. For a young horse, it’s extremely good in every single way. You can jump in all the huge arenas and the atmosphere is one you wouldn’t get anywhere else in the world. When you leave here with a good result, you leave with a really good feeling about the horse. You don’t really get that anywhere else.
The climate, the ground, the stabling is all perfect. I could say endless things about this show. I think people are starting to really understand what this place is like and how is it going to help grow our sport. I know it is somewhere where we will be for a long time.
Thank you, Daniel, for taking the time to chat with us! We are excited to continue cheering you on at our venue and around the world!