Taylor Vard’s team of Thomas Ryan, Jessica Burke, Kevin Gallagher and Jenny Rankin finished the two rounds of jumping with just four faults.

Tipperary’s Ryan with Springfield 21 and Sligo’s  Gallagher with Ballypatrick Flamenco (ISH) both jumped foot-perfect double clear rounds.

Galway’s Jessica Burke with Namamia and Tyrone’s Jenny Rankin with Carmela Z were also clear in the first round.

A jump-off was needed to decide the winners with Belgium coming out on top ahead of Spain in second and Ireland in third.

The remaining qualifying places for the EEF Nations Cup Final went to Sweden and Portugal.

The Longines EEF Series is a Show Jumping Nations Cup circuit created by the European Equestrian Federation which replaced the FEI Nations Cup Europe Division 2.

Ireland is a Europe Division 1 nation but can field teams in selected EEF Series rounds.

The post Ireland qualify for EEF Nations Cup Final appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The event will be live on RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Players as Michael Blake’s Irish team chase points in Europe’s top division.

Irish Show Jumping team manager Michael Blake has named his four team members, with Ireland drawn first too jump of the eight teams.

Derry’s Daniel Coyle with Legacy will be the pathfinders. Tipperary’s Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights will be next into the main arena for Ireland. Another Tipperary man Trevor Breen with Highland President will be the team’s third representative in the class. Cork’s Shane Sweetnam and the Irish Sport Horse James Kann Cruz (ISH) will be on the anchor leg.

Ireland will compete against The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Sweden and Britain today.

Italy will also be among the starters but as a non-Division 1 team are not eligible for league points. The home Dutch team are defending champions, with Ireland’s last win in Rotterdam coming in 2000.

Ireland’s first points-scoring round in Europe Division 1 saw them collect 70 league points following a fourth place finish at Sopot in Poland.

Ireland’s remaining points scoring opportunities after today will be at Hickstead on July 29th and Ireland’s home Nations Cup for the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse Show on Friday August 19^th. Both of these Longines FEI Nations Cup competitions will also be broadcast live on RTÉ.

The post Ireland drawn first for today’s Longines FEI Nations Cup of The Netherlands – Live on RTÉ appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Both Conor Swail and Jordan Coyle achieved wins at the Canadian venue on the opening week of the Spruce Meadows’ season.

Conor Swail and Nadal Hero & DB came out best of over 50 entries in The Bantrel Cup in the-one round competition.

Riders needed to be clear and quick if they wanted to reach the winner’s circle. It was Ireland’s World number 5 ranked rider Swail with Nadal Hero & DB that set an unbeatable time of 68.36 seconds. The Irish combination was just over 2 seconds faster than Mexico’s Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane.

Ireland’s Jordan Coyle aboard Ballyoskill Big Bucks laid down the fastest clear round with a time of 70.95 seconds in The Mercier Cup. The top 5 placings from this competition qualify for Sunday’s ATCO CSI2* Grand Prix.

The post Spruce Meadows wins for Conor Swail & Jordan Coyle appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

A very close competition saw Ireland among five teams sharing the lead on a zero score following the first round.

Irish Chef d’Equipe Taylor Vard saw three clear rounds from his opening three riders. Tipperary’s Thomas Ryan (Springfield 21), Cork’s Jeremy Sweetnam (Brown Star Z) and Wexford’s Harry Allen (Over Lux (ISH) all jumped clear. That meant Ireland’s last combination, Waterford’s Comdt Geoff Curran with Glengarra Wood (ISH), didn’t need to jump in the opening round.

Ryan and Sweetnam completed double clear rounds second time out. Bertram Allen came home with four faults picked up at the water. As the competition came down to the last line riders, Ireland, Brazil and Belgium were the three teams that could finish on a zero score.

Brazil were to finish on a final score of one time fault. Ireland’s Geoff Curran picked up four faults near the end of his round, and Belgium finished on the same score.

Brazil took the victory with Ireland second as the fastest of the teams that finished on four faults. Third place went to Belgium.

Ireland will be in five-star Longines FEI Nations Cup action at Sopot in Poland this weekend.

The competition will be shown live on the RTÉ News Channel from 1pm on Sunday afternoon.

The post Irish Showjumping team second in Norway appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The Tipperary rider was one of only six of the 53 starters to make it into the jump-off.

Rio Olympian Greg Broderick claimed victory aboard the gelding by four seconds at the finish – the fastest of four double clear rounds.

Jason Higgins took runner-up spot with Rincoola Milsean. Britain’s Alicia Page finished in third place with Diacento.

Greg Broderick completed an excellent afternoon by also taking fourth spot aboard Coolivio PS. Derek McConnell finished fifth with Dothraki Warlord while Jenny Rankin completed the top six with Carmela Z,

Result – Mullingar International CSI2* Grand Prix

1) Greg Patrick Broderick IRL – Gradje O 0-0/40.80

2) Jason Higgins IRL – Rincoola Milsean 0-0/44.84

3) Alicia Page GBR – Diacento 0-0/45.09

4) Greg Patrick Broderick IRL – Coolivio PS 0-0/46.64

5) Derek McConnell IRL – Dothraki Warlord 0-8/46.66

6) Jenny  Rankin IRL – Carmela Z  0-21/56.75

The post Greg Broderick wins Mullingar International Grand Prix appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

With only two hundredths of a seconds separating the top two finishers, the Sligo rider took the win ahead of Clem McMahon.

Ten combinations made it through to the jump-off. Gallagher crossed the line clear in 33.82 seconds with the 11-year-old gelding owned by Greg Broderick Ballypatrick Stables.

Clem McMahon with Hilton Pacato (ISH) claimed runner-up spot with another clear in 33.84 seconds. Third place went to Francis Derwin (Jnr) with AHG Whiterock Cruise Down (ISH) with the only other double clear in 36.38 seconds.

Daren Hopkins and Numero Cruise were the fastest of the four fault scores from the jump-off to finish fourth. Fifth place went to Greg Broderick and Gradje O. Jason Foley and and MHS Jersey Girl completed the top six.

The second leg of the Horse Sport Ireland Premier Series will take place at Portmore on May 23rd.

The post Kevin Gallagher & Ballypatrick Flamenco (ISH) take Round 1 of HSI Premier Series  appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The Waterford rider took first and second place in what was a very competitive class.

Early to go in the competition, Connors delivered a clear with Luxtapose, in a time of 32.98 seconds. This was the winning time in the €2,000 class. The winner, Luxapose, is a ten-year-old gelding by Lux Z and out of the Cruising sired dam, Coosan Lass.

Returning with Rossa Lough Derg, he was almost four seconds slower when clocking 36.44 seconds. The time, however, was good enough for the runner-up spot. Rossa Lough Derg is an eight-year-old mare by Luidam and out of Cruising Lough Derg.

Jason Foley partnered Killossery Krescendo to a clear in 36.45 seconds, with the eight-year-old by Indoctro out of Killossery Kruisette, taking third place.

Slotting into fourth place was Jenny Rankin on Hey Jude, clear in 36.70 seconds. This Belgian bred gelding is by Ugano Sitte and is out of Athena van de Donkhoeve.

A clear from Madeline Roberts Allen and her own Celah Sue De Rialfo Z in 36.89 seconds proved good enough for fifth place.

Completing the top six line-up was Wicklow’s Brendan Murphy and PNP Rocco, when they crossed the line in 38.06 seconds.

The post Francis Connors takes Round 1 of Mervue Equine Leinster Summer Tour appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Michael Blake’s team was made up of Galway’s Michael Duffy, Sligo’s Richard Howley, Mayo’s Michael G Duffy and Louth’s Mark McAuley.

Ireland looked to to have made a good start to the competition when Michael Duffy was clear approaching the last part of the course with Zilton SL Z. The 10-year-old gelding lost his footing on landing after the third last fence, meaning Duffy had to circle, picking up  four jumping and four time faults as a result.

Sligo’s Richard Howley and Arlo De Blondel had 4 faults at the very last fence and a time fault.

Mayo’s Michael G Duffy with Lapuccino 2 (ISH) also finished with five faults.

Louth’s Mark McAuley with Jasco VD Bisschop delivered a vital clear which meant Ireland made the cut for the second round.

The second round saw Ireland improve. Duffy and Zilton SL Z finished with just a time fault second time out.

Howley and Arlo De Blondel lowered a single fence for 4 faults, with Michael G Duffy and The Irish Sport Horse Lapuccino 2 adding a clear.

McAuley completed his double clear performance with Jasco VD Bisschop, leaving Ireland on a final score of 11 faults. They finished just over a fence off winners Czech Republic who lifted the trophy on home soil on a final score of six faults. Denmark finished on eight faults to claim runner-up spot, while halfway leaders Belgium finished third on nine faults.

The post Ireland fourth in Prague Nations Cup appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Second to go in a strong jump-off, the pairing made it look easy as they delivered a clear in 31.69 seconds. The combination took the lion’s share of the €4,000 in the Cooley Farms sponsored round.

AHG Whiterock Cruise Down, owned by Francis Derwin, has no shortage of experience. The 12-year-old was also Kate Derwin’s 2019 European Junior gold medal mount.

In total, 77 combinations contested this round. Thirteen delivered clear rounds first time out. Of those in the top six line-up, three horses were just eight-year-olds.

The runner-up spot was filled by the Autumn Grand Prix Champion, John McEntee and Hip Girl. They went clear in 34.63 seconds. Hip Girl is a 12 -year-old Swedish Warmblood mare.

Filling third place on was Dean Rogan, riding De L’ Oiseliere. Going mid-way in the jump-off, they delivered a clear in 34.87 seconds.

A clear in 35.33 seconds for Kevin Gallagher and ESI Star Struck saw them take fourth place. Clem Mc McMahon crossed the line with nothing to add aboard TJM Amour Fou in 38.13 seconds for fifth place.

Completing the top six line-up was last week’s Grand Prix winner Tim MacDonagh. The Galway rider was partnering his own Hollypark Pacino.

The Current National Grand Prix Champion, Derek McConnell and Dothraki Warlord were last of the double clears in 39.39 seconds for seventh place.

The post Francis Derwin wins GAIN Alltech Grand Prix in Barnadown appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

On Saturday, the 1.35m Gain Equine Nutrition Grand Prix, which includes a round of the SJI Autumn Grand Prix, should prove popular with riders who have kept their horses in training for the conclusion of the SJI Autumn Grand Prix League. This round boasts a prize fund of €2,000 and it is expected their will be a good turn out for the league.

Prior to lockdown, nine rounds had taken place and it was John McEntee (Hip Girl) and Philp Gaw (Ardnacshel Coovella) who shared top position on the leaderboard on 38 points.

Mc Entee had clocked up points in four rounds, while Gaw had collected points in five rounds. Following closely behind on 25 points is Brendan Murphy and Immun Ocean Ogara, ahead of Kenneth Graham and Bir Bua on 18 points.

The league will conclude in Cavan Equestrian on the weekend of the 19th and 20th of December. The winning combination will take home €2,500, while the runner-up will receive €1,750 and third place, €750.

On Sunday, a second Grand Prix will take place, again at 1.35m height and this time. The class is sponsored by Calor Gasa and carries a prize fund of €2,000.

Along with the two Grand Prix, a five-year-old HSI Autumn Development series with a prize fund of €3,000 and a six-year-old HSI Autumn Development Series with a prize fund of €3,000 has been included on the schedule.

The post Cavan Equestrian hosts Winter Championship Show this weekend appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.