Fulfilling childhood dreams and the taming of a spicy horse called Tabasco: meet rising star Tom Wachman

Aged just 20, former pony, junior and young rider European gold medallist Tom Wachman had already been making his mark on the international showjumping stage before grabbing the headlines at the 2025 London International Horse Show, where he won the grand prix with the aptly named Do It Easy.

The young Irish rider first realised his childhood dream to jump on a senior team in 2023 and this year he’s been flying the flag in the top tier Longines League of Nations, also helping to secure Ireland’s victory in the Nations Cup of La Baule.

Tom has competed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues in recent months, including Aachen, Dublin and Spruce Meadows, crediting his “unbelievable” top horse Tabasco De Toxandria Z for “taking me to a lot of shows I definitely didn’t think I’d be doing”.

“This year Tabasco and I really clicked,” says Tom, who is currently number seven in the under-25 world rankings. “It was a bit of a surprise how well it’s gone but I’ve been very lucky.”

Tom also claimed team silver and finished fifth individually behind Rachel Proudley at this year’s young rider European Championships riding Obora’s Laura, who alongside the 12-year-old Do It Easy spearhead his top string.

Tom Wachman on jumping in the Aga Khan

Another highlight of Tom’s year was jumping double clear for Ireland in his first Aga Khan on home soil at Dublin Horse Show.

“For nearly all Irish riders, that’s the dream,” he says. “It was a very special day.”

Tom, who trains with Cian O’Connor and competes under his family’s Coolmore showjumping banner, explains how his journey with Tabasco De Toxandria Z began.

“We found him as a six-year-old in Belgium. Cian tried him but we thought he was a bit mad at that stage, so we didn’t buy him,” says Tom. “But two weeks later, Cian saw him in a six-year-old final and ended up buying half of him with Stephan Conter, and my brother Max and I took a share of him.”

Stephan’s rider Kendra Brinckop produced the young Tabasco until Tom took the reins last year.

“Kendra did a super job – she got him going and made him. He was nearly push button when I got him!” says Tom. “Since then Cian has really helped me with his rideability, he helps get the buttons working. When I got him he had such a big stride that I found quite difficult to manage but I’m slowly getting the hang of him now.

“He’s very easy to ride because he’s brave, careful and scopey. Nothing fazes him – going into Dublin or Aachen or spooky jumps, he’s always the same.”

Where it started for Tom Wachman

Tom reveals that he only came into the sport of showjumping after following his older brother Max Wachman’s trips to the riding school.

“I didn’t really like horses when I was younger!” he says. “There were always horses around, but Max wanted to be a jockey originally, so he went to the local riding school in Thurles and I followed along one day and started riding.

“The pony circuit in Ireland got me going because it’s very competitive – it’s the same in England – and I was very lucky to have some good ponies. Mum was brilliant, she used to drive us everywhere!”

Tom, who recently graduated from university, first started training with Cian when he was 12.

“He got us going on 14.2hhs and working with his system of good flatwork and polework, and learning to count strides and do it all technically and properly,” says Tom. “It took a couple of years to figure it all out, but to do all that from such a young age was such great training.

“Ireland has so many good riders so you really need to raise your game. Whenever you are picked for the Europeans or other teams, you know you have a chance of coming home with a medal because the teams are so good.”

A learning curve

Tom Wachman admits he “wasn’t at the races” for his five-star Nations Cup debut but describes it as a “big learning moment”.

“I didn’t jump a Nations Cup again for a while after that – it made me realise that the level is much tougher than you think,” he says. “It took a couple of bad experiences before it started to go well. Luckily, I’ve done a good few Nations Cups now and I’ve learnt so much.”

After ending 2025 at the five-star shows in Geneva, as well as his crowning moment at the London International Horse Show where he became the youngest ever winner of the prestigious grand prix, Tom will now spend the rest of the winter competing and training in Florida.

“There’s a huge team behind me and I’m lucky to be riding some very good horses – I won’t be getting carried away just yet!” says the ambitious youngster modestly.

Tom, who was recently presented with the Longines FEI rising star award, has bold goals for 2026 and beyond.

“Tabasco has all the talent for the world championships and jumped very well in the Nations Cup and grand prix at Aachen so, hopefully if it all goes right and he stays sound, I’d love to go – that would be a dream come true,” he says. “It’s our first chance to qualify for the 2028 Olympics, which is another big goal. Putting on the green jacket is always very special.”

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