Irish sqauad for Aachen 2011 announced

Team Ireland Equestrian's show jumping manager Robert Splaine has named his squad for the Aachen Natons Cup clash.

Irish Children on Horses team European Chammpions

The Irish under-14 Children on Horses team scooped their first European Championship gold medal after a thrilling jump-off with Germany today (9 July 2011) at Comporta in Portugal.

Irish squad for Pony Europeans announced

Horse Sport Ireland has confirmed the Pony show jumping squad for the 2011 European Championships in Jaszkowo, Poland, 26-31 July 2011.

Shane Breen reclaims speed Derby title

Shane Breen and Magic Fox

Ireland’s Shane Breen reclaimed the Bunn Leisure Speed Derby title today (25 June 2011) he last won in 2008 with Royal Concorde. This year, he partnered Konstantin Pysarenko’s Magic Fox to victory, beating first timer Harriet Nuttall (Highland Cruiser II).

Irish Children on Horses, Junior and Young Rider European squads announced

Horse Sport Ireland has confirmed the Children on Horses/Juniors/Young Riders Show Jumping squad for the 2011 European Championships in Comporta, Portugal, which runs from 4-10 July.

Media release: Irish riders take top two places in Leipzig Grand Prix

Irish riders claimed the top two places in the Leipzig Grand Prix in Germany this afternoon (Saturday) with Denis Lynch taking the winner's prize of 20,000 euro and Billy Twomey collecting 17,000 euro for his runner-up position.

Denis Lynch to jump on Irish teams

Horse Sport Ireland has confirmed that Denis Lynch has committed to jumping on the Irish show jumping team in 2011.

Denis has indicated that he would like to be considered for selection for top level Nations' Cups and the European Championships in Madrid in September.

Robert Splaine names jumping order for Ireland's Lummen Nations Cup team

Team Ireland Equestrian's Show Jumping Manager Robert Splaine has announced the jumping order of the Irish team who will compete at the Nations' Cup in Lummen, Belgium tomorrow (Friday).

Mario Deslauriers wins WEF Challenge Cup round eight

Mario Deslauriers and Vicomte D.
By sportfot.com

The Mario Deslauriers and Vicomte D were victorious in Thursday (3 March 2011) afternoon's $31,000 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) Challenge Cup round eight following a competitive class at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Of the 48 starters, 16 jumped clear over Steve Stephens' course to go forward to the second round. With one scratch from the jump-off, 15 combinations returned over the shortened course and five jumped clear again.

Paul O'Shea wins Wellington CSIO welcome stakes

Paul O'Shea and Daydream St
Ghyvan Z. By sportfot.com

Irishman Paul O'Shea took the opening international class of CSIO International Week at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Riding Harry Gill's Daydream St Ghyvan Z, he claimed the welcome stakes (3 March 2011).

The class had 64 entries and they competed over a course designed by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, Florida. There were 16 clear rounds and the speed ratcheted up as the class continued. Going 44th in the order, Paul and Daydream St Ghyvan Z cleared the course in a time of 52.51 seconds for the win. Their winning pace was almost four seconds faster than the second place finishers Ian Millar, of Canada, and Dryden. Home ride Richard Spooner and C&aS Partnership LLC's Lady Like were third.

Shane Breen wins Portuguese Grand Prix

Ireland's Shane Breen won the first Grand Prix of the 2011 tour in Comporta, Portugal, riding Ronan Tynan's Irish-bred stallion Warrenstown You 2.

The pair was among nine combinations who made it to the jump-off in a 30-strong field, with 36-year-old Shane holding off a strong home challenge from Antonio Vozone and Ivan Camargo to claim first place. Shane's brother Trevor was also in the prize money, taking fifth place with Adventure de Kannan.

For full results, click here

Horse Sport Ireland confirms 2011 high performance show jumping committees

Horse Sport Ireland has announced details of its High Performance Show Jumping Committees for 2011. These committees oversee the operation of the High Performance programmes for 2011 and the structure was agreed between Horse Sport Ireland, the Irish Sports Council and Show Jumping Ireland in 2008. Responsibility for team selection, however, rests with the team manager in each case.

Shane Sweetnam first winner of WEF week seven

Shane Sweetnam and Little Emir.
By sportfot.com

Ireland's Shane Sweetnam gained victory in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m (23 February 2011) with Spy Coast Farm's Little Emir to open week seven of competition at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).

The class had 37 entries, who competed over a course designed by Olaf Petersen Jnr of Germany. Eleven were clear in the first round to advance to the jump-off and eight of those were double clear.

Robert Splaine takes victory in HSI Chippison Spring Tour second leg

TEAM Ireland Equestrian's show jumping manager Robert Splaine made an unexpected appearance at the second leg of the HSI Chippison Spring Tour on Sunday, 20 February and ended up winning the class.

He snatched the trophy at Cavan Equestrian Centre by a fifth of a second from young rider Gerard Clarke and Colorado in a 14-horse jump off that yielded eight double clear rounds.

Tom Slattery appointed as Ireland's high performance pony coach

Horse Sport Ireland and Showjumping Ireland have announced that Tom Slattery will be the high performance coach and chef d’equipe of the pony show jumping team for 2011. Tom will also act as show jumping coach to the pony eventing team. He replaces Ian Fearon who stood down last Autumn.

Cameron Hanley wins Villach Grand Prix

Irelands Cameron Hanley claimed victory in Austria's Villach's Grand Prixt riding Anna Gkouskova's grey Contender mare Chiara 222 on Sunday, 6 February.

The Claremorris Co. Mayo native, who is now based in Germany, was one of 14 through to the second round and clipped over 2 seconds off the time of Swiss challenger Andreas Ott, riding Loxy de la Reselle.

The Grand Prix, which fielded 40 competitors, carried a first prize of €7,000.

Cian O'Connor double leading rider

Ireland's Cian O'Connor, 31, has been awarded the leading rider trophy after finishing second in the four-star Grand Prix at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates today (Saturday, 5 Febraury 2011) with the Irish-bred gelding Larkhill Cruiser.

Jessica Kurten wins second of Bordeaux's ladies' classes

Jessica Kurten took victory in today's (Saturday, 5 February 2011) ladies' competition at Bordeaux's five-star fixture in France, piloting Ulrich Volkhausen's 10-year-old bay mare Fashion.

Denis Lynch wins Bordeaux Prix Generali

Germany-based Irishman Denis Lynch claimed victory in the Prix Generali at Bordeaux's World Cup show in France on Friday, 4 Feberuary 2011 riding Flaminia Straumann's Westphalian gelding All Inclusive NRW.

Billy Twomey wins Zurich Grand Prix

Billy Twomer and Tinka's Serenade

IRELAND'S Billy Twomey was victorious at Zurich's five-star show in Switzerland tonight (Friday, 28 January 2011), notching up his second Grand Prix win in two weeks withSue Davies's Tinka's Serenade.

Picking up €35,000 for his first place, to add to the €70,000 he won on the same mare in the Basel rand Prix 12 days earlier, Billy's nearest challenge in the six-horse jump-off came from Pius Schwizer, but the Swiss rider was 0.05 seconds slower than the Irishman.