HSI Confirms Squads For Nations' Cups

HORSE Sport Ireland has confirmed the squads that will represent Ireland in the Nations' Cup of Finland and Norway.

These Nations' Cups are not part of the Meydan Superleague and of the squad of five riders heading to Norway, four will all be making their
Nations' Cup debuts - if selected as one of the four riders to jump in the competition.

The Nations' Cup of Finland tales place next weekend (June 20) in Ypaja while the Nations' Cup of Norway is the following weekend in Drammen.

A squad of five riders will travel from Ireland to Ypaja and these will be joined in Drammen the following week by Danish-based Shane Carey, who is currently on a year's leave of absence from the Army.

The Squad in full is:

Alexander Butler; Will Wimble (owner Harold McGahern)
Joan Greene; Biscaya d’Eversam (owner Tim O’Shea)
Tholm Keane; Warrenstown You 2 (owner Ronan Tynan)
Edward Lyttle; Kalvinretto (owner David Prentice)
Paddy O’ Donnell; Harristown Princess (owner Thomas Power)

Drammen Only
Shane Carey; Lancero (owner Steen Bundgaard)

The Chef d’Equipe will be Paraic Geragthy.

Edward Little has jumped for Ireland at senior Nations' Cup level before but the other four travelling riders have not.

Team Ireland Equestrian Senior Show Jumping Manager Robert Splaine said that the trip was an opportunity to give riders Nations' Cup experience and the five riders had displayed good form in national competitions and in some international competitons earlier in the season.

"Ireland is one of the world's top show jumping nations and I am always attempting to increase the panel of riders I have to call on for Superleague level, " he said.

"The riders selected for Ypaja and Drammen have some interesting form and perhaps this opportunity will be a stepping stone to the future.  They all have very good owners who have supported them to get to this level and we are looking forward to seeing how they get on," he explained.

Robert Splaine also confirmed that he has had to make some changes to the team for the Meydan series Nations' Cup in Rotterdam which begins on Thursday, and which he announced last week. Capt. David OBrien will now replace Billy Twomey and Jessica Kurten will now ride 'Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois' rather than 'Castle Forbes Cosma'.

Splaine said: "Billy called me yesterday and explained that after he returned from Cannes that he worked 'Blue Thunder' at home on Sunday and the horse 'tied up' after exercise and that blood tests had confirmed this.

"Jessica has confirmed that her vet has diagnosed a muscle injury to Cosma's back sustained at the Global Champions Tour fixture in Cannes, which will rule the mare out of competition for a number of weeks."