Mark Tracy & Heike Steckhan 

'Mark Tracy'

I was reared on our family home and as part of the home we kept horses and ponies,this was a sporting activity for the whole family and was financially supported by the breeding,training and producing of young horses and ponies.

From the age of six I started to compete on my 12.2 hh pony in competition and hunted with the local hunt at both junior and senior levels . I was a green coat at junior level with the South Dublin Junior Hunt .

From here I progressed through the various pony heights and grades onto horses and I ' ve competed at junior and senior 'A' Level . I competed regularly at the Royal Dublin Horse Show . I've represented Ireland on a number of occasions in the UK , Germany , Scotland and Sweden while still training and producing young horses for re-sale .

Within my family there is a very strong Show Jumping and Hunting tradition , from my father's life time when he was a Master of the South Dublin County Senior Hunt to the present day.

 

'Heike Steckhan' 

I was born and reared in Germany living in an ideallic country setting in Nienstedt near Hanover in the Lower Saxony part of Germany.

I was involved in the equestrian sport from the early age of 6 vaulting in the local Equestrian Centre. By the age of 7 I took part in dressage and showjumping lessons on my welsh cob pony. Soon enough I competed in dressage & showjumping shows on different horses in the whole region.

I also took part in western riding training courses and competed in reigning , pleasure and trail riding competitions.

In the local equestrian centre I continued participating in our club activities which included taken active part in winning many team and individual showjumping & dressage titles in junior and senior level over the years.

I also took up the post of Youth Group Leader in the local Riding Club committee where I represented the interests of Junior & Young Riders for many years. Holding/Organising inter club activities , seminars , fund raising & leisure activities.I underwent several training courses with the Northern Regional Sports Council to become an official Youth Group Leader consisting of exams & First Aid courses.

Over the coming years I also attended intensive training at the Landesreitschule in Hoya near Verden and passed several Horse Riding & Management Exams..

In the summer of 1993/94 I did work experience on a stud farm in Ireland which was a completely new area for me to learn about in the Equestrian Industry.

'Hartwell Stud' in Kill Co Kildare which is the home of the famous Irish Showjumping Stallion ‘Cruising’ about 40 min in the south of Dublin.Here I got on hand experience in handling & teasing mares , foals , young stock & stallions. I also got to learn about the daily running and management of the stud including their AI facility . I also got the chance to help at the Royal Dublin Horse Show when showing the youngsters in the National Hunter Classes.

In the autumn of 1995 I moved to Ireland to attend a 9 months course to become a Horse Riding Instructor with the British Horse Society. I attended Calliaghstown Riding Centre as a working student where we got training 6 days a week.

Daily yard routines , lecturing and teaching of clients was the main part of our daily work and soon enough the exams came around .We also got a chance to compete in RC Shows . I finished my exams by June of 1996 and decided to stay on in Ireland to the present day. Since then I ve competed at National level up to 1.35m in sj competitions ,  hunted and hunter trialled . 

Please see below on my equestrian exam achievements to the present day: 

  • Deutscher Reiterpass
  • Deutsches Reitabzeichen Bronze DRA 2
  • Deutsches Reitabzeichen Silber   DRA 3
  • BHS Riding & Road Safety Certificate
  • BHS Exams 1 , 2 & 3
  • PTT Certificate (Preliminary Teaching Certificate)