From coloured poles to 13,000 feet, top rider tries a different type of jumping

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Yesterday 14:32

Horse And Hound

Top Irish rider Anthony Condon is used to jumping – over coloured poles, rather than out of planes at 13,000 feet.

But he and young international dressage rider Izzy Lickley were among those who did the latter this week, raising £5,000 to help save endangered species.

The riders, along with equine dental technician Jake Peterson and Stallion AI Services’ Megan Groves and Georgi Connew, were joined by representatives of Nature’s SAFE, a “living biobank” founded by Stallion AI managing director Tullis Matson to preserve genetic material of endangered animals.

Anthony said it was an “unforgettable experience”.

“Jumping out of the plane at 13,000ft and free-falling for 45 seconds was exhilarating and such an adrenaline buzz!” he said. “Then when the parachute opens, firstly it’s a bit of relief then it’s amazing; the view from up there is incredible. And the fact the jump was basically over my house and yard was really special. I would highly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing it, just go for it.

“A big thank you to Tullis for the invitation to do the jump and hopefully we raised plenty of money for Nature’s SAFE, which is a great cause.”

Izzy said the jump was one of the most exciting things she has done, and the fact it was for Nature’s SAFE made it more special.

“Every second of that freefall felt like a step towards helping protect endangered species and giving our planet’s wildlife a brighter future,” she said. “Even just playing a small part of that means so much to me.”

Another skydive is planned for next year; any riders who would like to take part should contact Tullis at Stallion AI.

Tullis said: “We are so grateful to every single person who took part in this incredible challenge and helped raise vital funds for Nature’s SAFE. Their bravery and enthusiasm mean the world to us. We look forward to inviting even more riders to join us in the future to help protect endangered species and safeguard our planet’s biodiversity.”