THE FIVE-strong Irish squad who will travel to Rome next week for the second leg of the Meydan Super League has been announced by Team Ireland Equestrian's show jumping manager Robert Splaine.
The squad, in alphabetical order, is:
Cameron Hanley (Mayo)
Darragh Kenny (Offaly)
Capt. David O’Brien (Westmeath)
Cian O’Connor (Meath)
Billy Twomey (Cork)
The five-star Rome show comes just two weeks after Ireland finished sixth of the world's top ten teams in the opening leg at La Baule, France, and the squad for Italy features two of those riders - Mayo's Cameron Hanley and Offaly's Darragh Kenny.
Splaine has drafted in Capt. David O'Brien, Cian O'Connor and Billy Twomey for Rome, and four of the five riders will be selected for the two-round Nations' Cup clash which takes place on Friday afternoon, May 28.
Splaine said today (Thursday): "Eleven teams will line out in Rome, with the home team, who were relegated last year, joining the other ten. This makes the challenge even more difficult as Italy won the promotional league Nations' Cup in Athens last week, and also won in Dublin last year. They are also on home turf with a lot to fight for. And I know other nations have made changes to their teams from La Baule. This will be a big challenge."
He added: “I have decided to keep Shane Breen and his horse Carmena Z until St Gallen because I want to pace this combination. Their results have been impeccable, but the year is a long one, and we have already pencilled in other shows where their presence would be required.
"Niall Talbot's horse got injured at La Baule and Shane Sweetnam is going to the Nations' Cup in Lisbon with Zamiro. It is good that I can call on such experienced riders as Billy, Cian and David and I am looking forward to seeing them in action,” he said.
The 2010 Meydan Series runs through eight competitions at the world's top show jumping venues and finishes at the Dublin Horse Show in August, when the four lowest-scoring teams will be relegated to the Promotional Nations' Cup league.
Splaine also confirmed his squad for the Nations' Cup in Lisbon on Sunday May 30th as: Shane Breen, Trevor Breen, Dave Quigley and Shane Sweetnam.
“Lisbon is not part of the Super League so it gives us an opportunity to look at some new combinations at this level,” he said.
The squads, including horses, are:
ROME
Cameron Hanley: Southwind VDL
Darragh Kenny: Obelix
Capt. David O’Brien: Mo Chroi
Cian O’Connor: K Club Lady
Billy Twomey: Tinka's Serenade
LISBON
Shane Breen: Mullaghdrin Gold Rain
Trevor Breen: Adventure de Kannan
Dave Quigley: Ulot
Shane Sweetnam: Zamiro