As told by Katie Kiely, Coach, at the 2025 Dublin Horse Show

We’re doing great. We’re tired — it’s only day two — but we’re doing great.

I’m so proud of all my clients. I’m thrilled. I’m having a great time. I just need a full night’s sleep. Just for now.

It is monumental, yeah. It is. But when you know all of the work that goes on behind the scenes — all the prep — when you actually come out and get the results that they have? There’s nothing like it. Because you know. You’ve been there. Every late night, every early morning lesson — you just know what went in. And that makes it all so worth it.

One of my clients, she did a gallop yesterday, and I just cried. I was like, oh my God.

I can’t keep it together when they do well. I literally — she galloped down and I was like, oh my God. And my best UD — she came to her today, incredible — and I was just standing in the stands like, wow. I was like, sorry everyone! You know what I mean? They were all like, okay… but they just went along with it. It’s fab. It’s fab.

And I love it here. This is my favourite.

So, for the people who don’t know me — who’ve been hiding under a storm — I’m a coach, first of all. We do rehabilitation in our yard. We prep for young horses. We do competition. We do everything. Your Gary. A couple more of the grassers have had horses over. Everybody has.

It’s really nice. We have a really, really nice array of things we do. But this year when I go to Dublin? It’s all about the coaching. All about the practice. That’s my favourite thing — because I get to see everybody progress and get what they deserve.

I think you have to really love being a coach. When I’m someone’s coach, I’m all in. There’s so much happiness for me when my clients do well. I really want that for them.

Support matters. We all have the laugh. We all have everything. It’s like — everyone together, just really encouraging each other. When you have somebody there who’s really in your corner, really cheering for you — when you get the results you so, so very much deserve — it’s the best feeling ever.

All of my clients work so, so, so hard.

I love Dublin. I absolutely love it. Every year. You see me going around like a ping pong ball — all the warmups, all my jobs. But I love it. I love seeing everyone together. We have a great time. As long as the clients are happy…

I always say — you come out of the ring, no matter what place — as long as you’re proud of yourself. Because I always am.

That’s the essence of it.

What’s next? We’ve got lots. Lots and lots and lots. Too long to say in this little interview. But exciting stuff. And I’m very excited for everyone to see it.