Ned Campion competed in the show jumping Nations' Cup at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games on Liathdruim - the first of five Olympics in which he was involved as a competitor or team official, subsequently serving as Chef d'Equipe at Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004 and as equestrian team manager at Sydney 2000. From Rathdowney, Co. Laois, Campion grew up in a household steeped in hurling tradition - his father Mick and uncles won several Laois hurling championship medals with Rathdowney, and his uncle Jack won Tailteann Games (1924) and Railway Cup (1927) hurling medals with Leinster.
He completed his Leaving Certificate and entered the Cadet School in 1956, arriving at Kildare Station with a suitcase and a hurley. He captained Kildare in senior hurling and won two Kildare senior hurling championship medals with army teams before his riding potential was identified when all Cadet School graduates were assigned to the AES.
He made his Nations Cup debut in 1961 and in 1967 was a member of the Ireland team that won the Aga Khan Cup. He later served as Commanding Officer of the AES and retired from the army as Col Edward Campion in 1997.
Equestrian
