“I’d love to go to every Olympics” says local vet Lucia

While Ireland basks in the Olympic Gold medal success of boxer Kellie Harrington, a young Westmeath vet who was tasked with the job of looking after the four horse from the Japanese showjumping team has admitted this week that she would “love to go to every Olympics.”

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent from Liege Airport in Belgium after a 12-hour flight from Tokyo yesterday morning (Tuesday), Lucia Dawson Stanley from Tubberclair, Glasson, described being at the Olympics as “an amazing experience.”

Lucia and her Dad, Jeremy, both work at the world-renowned Schockemohle Stables in Germany where the Japanese equestrian team horses are housed, and they were chosen to travel to the Tokyo Olympics as Head Vet and Farrier, respectively, with the team.

Lucia said they were based in Equestrian Park in the Japanese capital for the duration of the Olympic Games, but adds that she did get to travel to the Olympic Village, which was over 30 minutes away, to meet with Irish athletes and to savour the unique atmosphere there.

“Everything about it was just amazing,” says the young vet who only qualified earlier this year and began working with the Schockemohle Stables shortly afterwards. “But I think it would have been even more amazing if we didn’t have coronavirus because we would have seen more of Tokyo.”

Despite this, Lucia did get to do “a small bit of sightseeing” and she also got to sample some Japanese cuisine, which was another “great experience” she says.

“Already we are looking ahead to Paris in 2024,” she says “and in the meantime we are hoping to bring the horses to the Asian Olympic Games in 2022 and the European Games in Riesenbeck in Germany next year, so we had a busy programme ahead.”

Lucia’s Dad, Jeremy, flew back to Germany from Tokyo on Sunday last, but in her position as Head Vet she had to travel from Tokyo with the four horses from the Japanese Equestrian team as she is solely responsible for the welfare of the horses from the time they leave Japan until they arrive in Germany.

Lucia’s twelve-hour flight from Tokyo to Liege was on a cargo plane with 10 passengers and 46 horses, and for the entire duration of the flight she had “direct access” to the horses so that she could continually assess their welfare. “I usually stay with the horses throughout the flight as you have to listen carefully to see how they are coping and to make sure that they don’t experience any altitude sickness or have any other issues.”

While she is not heading back to Germany with any medals, Lucia Dawson Stanley said she has amassed “many wonderful memories” from her time at the Tokyo Olympics and is already looking forward to doing it all over again in Paris in just three short years!