Widely regarded as football’s most prestigious and coveted individual honour, the Ballon d’Or is reserved for the rare few whose brilliance transcends their sport. Messi. Ronaldo. Names that don’t just win — they define an era.
If such an honour existed in the sport of eventing, there would be no debate. Ballaghmor Class would be a unanimous choice. A first-round ballot Hall of Famer. A once-in-a-generation horse whose presence alone raised the level of everyone around him.
A true stalwart in every sense of the word.
Make him your pathfinder and he will show you the way. Send him last, and wait — because you know exactly what you’re about to witness. He leaves the start box calm, cool, and utterly locked in. No wasted motion. No second-guessing. Just quiet confidence and complete trust in the job at hand.
He is the pinnacle. The Mount Everest. The horse you want on your squad because, every single time, he shows up for you. When the pressure is highest and the moment demands everything, he answers — not with flash, but with authority and heart.
His aura is undeniable. Almost tangible. It seeps into the people around him, steadying nerves, lifting belief, and reminding everyone what excellence looks like. His presence is felt long before he ever steps onto the course.
Trustworthy. Reliable. Brave beyond measure.
But Ballaghmor Class has always been more than a horse, more than an athlete. More than his achievements and credentials — remarkable as they are. To those who know him best, he has been a partner, a teacher, and a best friend. He has lifted riders, owners, grooms, and fans alike. He has carried hopes, absorbed pressure, and given reassurance in moments when it mattered most. In a sport — and a world — so often filled with uncertainty, he has been a constant.
Born in 2007, “Thomas” was bred by Noel Hickey in County Limerick, Ireland. By the Holsteiner sire Courage II and out of the ISH mare Kilderry Place, he combined exceptional breeding with an extraordinary mind and an even greater heart. Owned by Angela Hislop, Karyn Shuter, Val Ryan, and Peter Ryan, he climbed to the very summit of the sport.
A four-time 5* winner.
An Olympic Team Gold Medalist at Tokyo 2020.
A career that most can only dream of.
As he steps away from competition, his legacy is already etched into the soul of eventing — not just in what he won, but in how he made people feel. The belief he inspired. The standard he set. The quiet greatness he carried every single day.
Ballaghmor Class will be officially celebrated and honoured with a retirement presentation at the Burghley Horse Trials this September — a fitting stage for a horse who has given the sport so much, a hunting ground where he truly showcased his magic.
Ballaghmor Class didn’t just compete at the highest level.
He was the standard.
