The Horse Sport Ireland CCI4*-L will be a selection trial for the FEI World Eventing Championships in Italy in September and features top riders from Ireland, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, France, Japan and New Zealand. The recent Badminton winner and Tokyo 2020 team gold medallist, Britain’s Laura Collett, riding Dacapo, heads a competitive field.

England-based New Zealanders Tim and Jonelle Price bring Coup De Coeur and Happy Boy (Tim) and Kilbunny Andy (Jonelle). They are joined by New Zealand-based Clarke Johnston (Menlo Park and Leopard’ss Action) and Virginia Thompson (Capitaine De Hus Z and Gladstone) as well as Samantha Lissington (Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ).

The Australians won team silver at the Tokyo Olympic Games and team member Kevin McNab (Willunga) will be one to watch. He is joined by US-based Clayton Fredericks, a world silver medallist in 2006, on FE Coldplay and Bill Levett (Sligo Candy Cane).

Ireland well represented

Ireland are the reigning world silver medallists and will be well represented by Cathal Daniels, a member that 2018 team and the individual European bronze medallist in 2019, riding CDS Cairnview Romulo. Louise Bloomer (Hollybrook Hotshot), Elizabeth Power (Senza Fine) and Alison Holden (O My Balladeer) will also compete for the home side.

The Connolly’s RED MILLS CCI4*-S is a predominantly Irish affair, but there will be a big challenge from Jonelle Price on her 2018 Luhmuhlen five-star winner Faerie Dianimo.

“It’s great to be seeing so many big names from overseas returning to Millstreet,”’ said event director Thomas Duggan. “There’s always a great Irish welcome and a fun atmosphere, and course-designer Mike Etherington-Smith and all the team have been working hard to produce the usual excellent educational competitions for the star horses of the future.”

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With just over 30 penalties separating the top 13 teams, the competition is still wide open heading into the Cross Country.

The Irish trio of Sam Watson (Tullabeg Flamenco (ISH), Austin O’Connor (Colorado Blue) and Sarah Ennis (Horseware Woodcourt Garrison (ISH), are on a combined score of 110.4.

The medal positions are currently occupied by Britain (78.3), Germany (80.4) and New Zealand (86.4).

Carlow’s Sam Watson and Tullabeg Flamenco (ISH) are best of the Irish individually and are in 38th place on 34.30.

The Cross Country phase of the Olympic Eventing competition starts at 11.45pm tonight Irish time and is live on RTÉ TV.

Sam Watson and Tullabeg Flamenco start at 12.18am. Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue are off at 1.30am. Sarah Ennis and Horseware Woodcourt Garrison will be the last Irish team member to go at 2.39am.

The Olympic Eventing team and individual medals will be decided following the final Show Jumping phase which takes place on Bank Holiday Monday.

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Young Rider Eventing Squad

• Alannah Kelly and Cooley Bounce (ISH).
• Brian Kuehnle and Tullibards Now or Never (ISH).
• Jennifer Kuehnle and Polly Blue Eyes (ZfDP).
• Zara Nelson and OLS Queen Bee (ISH).
• Heather O’Connor and HSH Has It All (ISH).
• Jim Tyrrell and Rock Gift (ISH).

The non travelling reserves are Emily Barrett with BGS Mikado (ISH) and Zara Nelson with OLS Pixie Hollow (ISH).

High Performance Young Rider Eventing Team Manager Sue Shortt said:

“Most of these riders are veterans of several Pony and Junior European Championships, and a Children on Horses show jumping Gold medallist.  I’ve selected a squad of riders that have shown in training and competition, that they have the skills and experience to cope with a big, technical cross country course.”

Junior Eventing Squad

• Godfrey Gibbons and Milchem Free Spirit (ISH).
• Sarah O’Donnell and Blessington Prince Royal (UNK).
• India Rogers and Hollybrook Star (ISH).
• Tom Rowlatt McCormick and Mon Ami Alme (BE/SIES).
• Susan Shanahan and Eisfee (HANN) or Fernhill Whisper (ISH).
• Olivia Swan and Silver Bróg (ISH).

The non travelling reserves are Clodie Coen with Ballinglen Susies Master (ISH), Lucy Cosgrove with Kilcoltrim Swift (UNK), Ellen Creed with Interface (KWPN) and Darragh Hanlon with Marco (UNK).

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Sligo’s Howley scored another major international win in the two-star Grand Prix at Oliva in Spain, riding Arlo de Blondel.

From a list of 83 starters, 10 made it into the jump-off. At the end, Howley had almost two seconds to spare over British runner-up John Whitaker with Unick du Francport. Howley had also taken victory in Friday’s World Ranking class in Oliva with Chinook.

Denis Lynch and GC Chopin’s Bushi win in Germany

At Riesenbeck in Germany, Denis Lynch and GC Chopin’s Bushi took an impressive win in the feature 1m55 speed competition.

Drawn 11th to go of 53 competitors, Lynch set what proved an unbeatable clear in 64.02 seconds, winning almost €20,000.

Lynch had almost a second and a half to spare over German runner-up Maurice Tebbel with Don Diarado. Another German, Christian Kukuk, finished third with Quintino. Clare’s Eoin McMahon was also in the prizes and finished eighth with Chacon 2.

Cathal Daniels is runner-up in Portugal

In Eventing, Cathal Daniels and The Irish Sport Horse Shannondale Mari finished in runner-up spot in the CCI3*L at the Portugal Winter tour in Barroca d’Alva.

The pair finished on their Dressage score of 34.2 just 0.6 of a penalty behind the French winner Regis Prud Hon with Bennix de Bory.

Ireland’s Brian Kuehnle took fifth place with Tullybards Now Or Never on a score of 37.5.

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