Declan Cullen and Seavaghan ASH. Photo by Pan Cunningham.Irish rider Declan Cullen wryly refers to himself as the grandfather this weekend, not only earning the title of eldest rider at age 56 but also laying down a healthy dose of if I can do it, so can you inspiration in making a long-anticipated CCI5* debut at Defender Burghley.Teaming up with the very special, splashily-colored Seavaghan ASH (Glenhill Gold Davys Instructions, by Safety Catch) makes the weekend that much more meaningful for Declan, who also campaigned the 15-year-old Irish Sporthorse geldings sire, Glenhill Gold, to the 4* level. Glenhill Gold was actually intended to go to the 5* level, but a change in FEI qualifications and the institution of athlete categorization meant he wasnt able to get the amount of MERs needed in time to achieve the goal.We were qualified for Badminton 2012, we were actually qualified in 2010 [as well]. FEI changed the rules, we couldnt go, Declan explained. As an amateur rider, [with] only two horses, I had more qualifications to do, and that boat sailed, and we missed it. He was getting on so then he was retired, and now Ive had his son, which we bought as a foal. We produced him on, you could say, patiently hes now 15. But we were qualified last year to go to Luhmhlen. He took a wee bit of a virus. This year, wed go back to Luhmhlen but I run my own Horse Trials called the Clare in Ireland and it was just clashing with that. And so we said, okay, lets bite the bullet [and go to Burghley].That chasing of an always-elusive goal of getting a horse to an event like Burghley has had to balance with the other realities of life. Declan and his wife, Becky, run their own business in Cullen Equine Solutions, and Declan is also a nutrition expert working for Pegus Horse Feed. Becky is a 5* rider in her own right, having done two of the three phases of Badminton in 2004 with Wee Hot Toddy and is now a respected coach and mentor while maintaining her riding alongside. For the Cullens, that trip to Badminton lit a fire and spurred them on to make a return one day.Seavaghan Ash was purchased as a foal, along with several other foals sired by Glenhill Gold, and hes been produced by Declan patiently and tactfully as a true member of the family. He is Mr. Laidback. He should be at the household calvary, just standing [at Westminter].He will not move. He is idle, but [he has] a great temperament and [is] a great soulmate. Hes very special, very special for everything that weve done. I can recall, as a four year old in March time riding around the muddy fiends, and that horse has never had a lead. Hes never had anyone to show him how to jump ahead or jump a ditch. Hes done it all on his own back. Hes been amazing.Declan Cullen and Seavaghan ASH. Photo by Pan Cunningham.Declan and Cassidy scored a 35.2 on Thursday, a very respectable debut 5* score that tracks in line with their typical averages at the 4* level. Declan admits he felt he got a bit of the yips (known in sports as a temporary abandonment of ones skills that ordinarily would come naturally) as he headed in for his test. To be honest, Im pleased the way he went. He was fabulous, Id say. But of course, its a different deal when you go inside and you have the tension and following Max [Warburtons] test and the applause. Yes, I got a bit of the yipsI didnt really ride as I did outside. So I left it I left marks there. What luck, its my first five star, Ive left it late in life to tackle this challenge, so Im happy.Late in life is truly a relative term when it comes to eventing, and Declan keeps his gratitude for this special horse and an opportunity hes been dreaming of for so long close.It was something weve been looking to do a long time, and theres so many years I was going to retire, Declan mused. I was going to quit financially, motivationally, horsepower. It is a very expensive sport that were in. We all question the effort and the reward of all the disciplines, dressage and show jumping and eventing. We just dont seem to get the same reward and to keep going, its a credit to all the riders, all the owners that do it. So what kept me going? I believed he was a five-star horse. I hope he goes to prove me that, and thats why Ive stood the journey.Our coverage of Burghley is brought to you by our incredible supporters,Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional products to keep your horse feeling their best at all times. Theyll even get on the phone with you to help you formulate a solid supplementation plan for your horses individual needs! Wed really appreciate your support of KPP, as theyre champions for our sport and beyond and are wonderful people to boot.Check them out here.Defender Burghley:[Website] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [Tickets] [Cross Country Preview] [ENs Coverage]