IT WAS Cian O'Connor's day at Cavan Equestrian Centre this afternoon (Sunday) when he took first and second place in the Grand Prix. Competing in this second leg of the HSI Chippison Spring Tour, the 30 year-old Meath-based rider took victory with the Danish-bred 'Complete'.

IT WAS Dermott Lennon who showed the way with a win for Ireland in the first competition on the opening day (Thursday) of Gothenburg's five star show in Sweden. But fellow Irish rider Jessica Kurten also featured in the following competition with a third place on Lady Georgina Forbes's French-bred 'Miribel d'Auvray'.

CAVAN sees the second leg of the HSI Chippison Spring Tour 2010 on Sunday, with 33 starters currently listed, including the winner of the inaugural Grand Prix, Conor Drain and the mare 'Fine Filly'. The startlist can be downloaded here

HORSE Sport Ireland has launched a new brand ‘Team Ireland Equestrian’ which will be worn by all Irish equestrian riders across all disciplines in 2010 up to the London Olympics. The disciplines involved include the Olympic disciplines of show jumping, eventing, dressage and para-equestrian. As part of the launch, Team Ireland Equestrian Show Jumping Team Manager Robert Splaine and Eventing High Performance Manager Ginny Elliot set out their plans for 2010.

WITH a prize fund of 2,500 euro up for grabs, it was 17 year-old Conor Drain from Co. Antrim who took first place in the inaugural Grand Prix of the Chippison Spring Tour, held at Ravendsale Lodge in Co. Louth this afternoon (Sunday).

THE Children on Horses European championships will take place in Jardy, France from 13th to 18th July. This year these Championships are taking place at the same time as the European Junior and Young Rider Championships. In line with this Children on Horses will now be part of Horse Sport Ireland’s Junior and Young Rider High Performance programme.

TEAM IRELAND EQUESTRIAN now has its own section within the HSI website. Here you will find biographies, show dates, and eventually a video and image resource.
All Irish equestrian teams will now be competing under the new logo, ‘Team Ireland Equestrian’. Connect with the new microsite HERE

THE ANNUAL exodus of Irish riders and horses to sunnier climes begins this weekend when the first contingent arrives in Portugal for the two-star show at Comporta tomorrow (Thursday). A total of nine riders with 43 horses - many of them Irish-bred - will take part in the two-star Portuguese event.

OFFALY-born Darragh Kenny failed in his bid for a World Cup hat-trick when finishing third in the World Cup Qualifier at Wellington in Florida last night (Saturday), but the points gained now put him at the top of the US East Coast League, and secure his ticket to this year's Rolex World Cup Finals at Geneva in April.