Edmond Gibney, originally from Kilskyre, Kells

Kells, County Meath

Kells is a town in County Meath, Ireland. The town lies off the M3 motorway, from Navan and from Dublin. In recent years Kells has grown greatly with many Dublin commuters moving to the town....

, Co. Meath, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 (born 18 July 1974), is an Irish Olympic Three Day Eventing

Eventing

Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...

 rider who represented Ireland in the 2004 Summer Olympics

2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...

 in Athens

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

. Born in Co. Louth, Ireland to Eamon and Dolores Gibney, initially he worked in America where he went to the Atlanta Olympics as part of the American Equestrian

Equestrianism

Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...

 Team before returning to Europe to concentrate on his own career.

Road to Athens 2004

In 2001 Edmond rode Kings Highway at Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle is a medieval stronghold in Blarney, near Cork, Ireland, and the River Martin. Though earlier fortifications were built on the same spot, the current keep was built by the MacCarthy of Muskerry dynasty, a cadet branch of the Kings of Desmond, and dates from 1446...

 (IRL) in the CCI

Concours Complet International

The Concours Complet International and the Concours International Combiné are ratings for the equestrian sport of eventing, given by the international governing body for the sport, the FEI....

**, their first International Horse Trials together, where the pair finished 8th. In the same year they ended up in 23rd place in the CCI*** at Boekelo

Boekelo

Boekelo is a Dutch village in the municipality of Enschede in the Eastern Netherlands, the population is estimated at approximately 2500. It is located just west of Usselo. The village is known for the Military Boekelo Enschede, an international equestrian event.It is also known for the salt...

 (NED). In 2002 they completed the CCI*** at Punchestown (IRL) and later that year the duo were to record 9th Place at the Blenheim

Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace  is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...

 CCI*** (GBR). As the Olympics grew near, in 2003 Gibney upped the ante yet again, recording 11th place at Belton Park

Belton House

Belton House is a Grade I listed country house in Belton near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. The mansion is surrounded by formal gardens and a series of avenues leading to follies within a larger wooded park...

 (GBR) in the Advanced section.
However it was at the Badminton

Badminton Horse Trials

The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only six annual Concours Complet International Four Star **** events as classified by the Fédération Équestre Internationale , which takes place in April or May each year in the park of Badminton House, the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in...

CCI**** (GBR) in 2003 that the pair shone, winning the Glentrool Trophy for a superb showing in the cross country and ending up in 19th place overall.

Athens 2004

Edmond had a poor showing at the Olympics ending with 152.6 penalty points, which put him in 62nd place, however the team did well ending in 8th place. A fall in the cross country section, (which was the front page of The Irish Independent Newspaper at the time), scuppered Edmond's chance of a high placing.

Car Crash

On 3 March 2007, Edmond, at 32 years old, was involved in a horrific car crash in the South of England which resulted in him being in a coma for over a month in Southampton General Hospital. To the surprise of everyone once Edmond regained consciousness he made a rapid recovery and was riding again that summer. At the time was he competing on a number of horses up to intermediate level, finishing fifth in an intermediate section at Wilton on Lovejoy's Quest and winning a novice class at Borde Hill (2) on Skywalker II. Whilst, the crash gained a lot of media interest Edmond took the decision to retire from competing at an international level.