Ireland launches 2015 Nations’ Cup campaign at Lummen

  • 30 April 2015, 17:39

IRELAND will launch its 2015 top level Nations’ Cup campaign at Lummen in Belgium tomorrow (Friday) with the team of Denis Lynch, Cameron Hanley, Greg Broderick and Billy Twomey.

Drawn fifth to jump of eight of the world’s best show jumping nations taking part at Lummen, the Irish quartet are facing their country’s first points-scoring competition of the new season.

Team Ireland Equestrian’s show jumping manager Robert Splaine said today: “ Obviously our ultimate goal this year is team qualification for the Rio Olympics through our performance at the European Championships at Aachen, Germany in August.  Lummen is the first points-scoring show allocated to us in the FEI Furusiyya League, and like all our Nations’ Cup shows this year it will provide valuable information that will help us select the best possible squad to send to Aachen when that time comes.”

Ireland, who battle against top teams from France, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy and Switzerland tomorrow, will line out as follows:

Denis Lynch/Abbervail van het Dingeshof
Cameron Hanley/Living The Dream
Greg Broderick/MHS Going Global (ISH)
Billy Twomey/Diaghilev

The first round is scheduled to start at 3pm Irish time, with the second round due to begin at 4.30pm.

A total of ten nations will compete in Europe Division I during the season, and seven teams will qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2015 Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 24th to 27th September.

Ireland has been allocated four Furusiyya Nations’ Cup rounds at which it can score league points, and following Lummen are La Baule (FRA), St Gallen (SUI) and the Aga Khan Cup at Dublin (IRL).

**Live video coverage from Lummen Nations’ Cup is available by subscription from 2.50pm Irish time on Friday at www.feitv.org**

Clockwise from top left: Cameron Hanley, Denis Lynch, Billy Twomey and Greg Broderick

Clockwise from top left: Cameron Hanley, Denis Lynch, Billy Twomey and Greg Broderick