Irish Show Jumping team set for tonight’s €1.5 Million Nations Cup World Final

Horse Sport Ireland Show Jumping Team Manager Robert Splaine has named his team for tonight’s €1.5 Million Nations Cup World Final in Barcelona, with the same four riders selected that booked a place in the lucrative decider following a thrilling first round contest on Thursday.

The Irish team will line out as follows:

Shane Breen with Golden Hawk (Owned by P. Sultan & Breen Equestrian)
Darragh Kenny with Go Easy De Muze (Owned by Jos Lansink & F.H. Schuttert)
Denis Lynch with All Star 5 (Owned by Thomas Straumann & Denis Lynch)
Greg Broderick with MHS Going Global (ISH) (Owned by Lee Kruger & Greg Broderick)

Only the top eight teams from the 18 starters in Thursday’s opening round have made it through to what is the richest team Show Jumping competition in the world. Ireland will take on Germany, USA, Belgium, Switzerland, Britain, Italy and The Netherlands, with all eight teams starting on a zero score.

Speaking today, Team Manager Robert Splaine said:

“We are really looking forward to tonight’s final, which with such incredible prize money on offer, is a great reward for the efforts of our riders following an excellent performance on Thursday in qualifying. This FEI Furusiyya Nations Cup final has delivered some incredible sport over the past few years, tonight will be no different and we will be giving it our best shot. I would like to acknowledge the role played by our fellow squad member Anthony Condon here in Barcelona this week and indeed all the riders and owners who have been part of Irish Nations Cup teams this season, and who have ensured that we will take our place in the top division of world show jumping again next season.”

Tonight’s Nations Cup final in Barcelona gets underway at 8pm Irish time and is available to watch live on Eir Sport 2, and on FEITV.

Meanwhile Irish riders have been in excellent form in the individual classes so far in Barcelona. Today’s Negrita Cup saw Denis Lynch finish third with Que Sera, while Anthony Condon grabbed fifth place aboard Chinook, with victory going to Sweden’s Angelie Von Essen riding Cream Sheridan. Offaly’s Darragh Kenny had earlier scored a win for Ireland in Friday’s Speed Class with the 11-year-old mare Fixdesign Funke van’t Heike.

At the Central Park Horse Show in New York, Conor Swail added to Irish success when taking third place in the $216,000 Rolex Grand Prix riding Cita, where victory went to America’s Jimmy Torano and Day Dream.

Kildare’s Judy Reynolds had earlier scored a superb win for Ireland in the Dressage Grand Prix with the gelding Vancouver K.