Biography

Irish Olympic rider Aoife Clark (36) who is based near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire last competed at Badminton in 2015. She was a member of the Irish team for the 2014 WEG (Fenyas Elegance) and a member of the fifth placed Irish team at the London 2012 Olympic Games completing in 7th place individually (Master Crusoe).

Aoife, from Co Kildare, has ridden since young and began hunting with the Tara Harriers, followed by pony eventing in which she was Irish National Champion in 1996 and represented Ireland twice at the European Championships. She then gained experience in several eventing and National Hunt yards including as a working pupil for Ian Stark in 2000.

She graduated from University College Dublin with a  first-class degree in Maths and Classics, in the same year (2002) finishing second at Necarne CCI** on Wood U Retreat – a horse she had just ridden for five weeks and on whom she went on to complete Bramham CCI3* in 2003. In 2010 she came to international prominence with both Master Crusoe and Vaguely North and in 2011 both started at Badminton – Aofie’s first. In 2013 with Fenyas Elegance she won her first senior three-day event, the Blenheim CCI3*. The combination repeated the success in June 2014 winning the three-star three-day at Bramham. In 2015 she gained was 8^th at Badminton with Vaguely North.

Aoife trains with Robert Snaddon and Andrew Fletcher.

A keen sportswoman, she once ran the London marathon in four hours and three minutes she follows NH racing and rugbya dn enjoys a good skiing holiday. She is married to Simon (the brother of British event rider Polly Stockton).

Master Rory is a 12-year-old Irish-bred gelding. He is by the Irish-based KWPN sire Aldato out of the mare Seoidin Alainn by the thoroughbred Master Imp also the sire of Aoife’s former ride Master Crusoe. She is also the dam of Ringwood LB currently competing at two-star level with Jonty Evans. Master Rory was produced to three-star by British rider Rose Carnegie – Aoife acquired the ride at the beginning of 2017 when Rose broke her leg. He is described as ‘super spooky and loves bananas – skin and all’. Badminton will be the horse’s first four-star.