(29 Jul 2010)
IRISH riders face two European championship events this weekend as well as the penultimate round of the Meydan Superleague.
The Irish Nations' Cup squad of Denis Lynch, Billy Twomey, Shane Breen, Shane Sweetnam and Dermott Lennon line out for the Meydan clash at the historic all-England course at Hickstead in England, and show jumping manager Robert Splaine will select his team of four tonight (Thursday), ahead of Friday afternoon's competition featuring the world's ten best show jumping countries.
Ireland last won at Hickstead in the consecutive years of 2000 and 2001, but before that there was a 73 gap to its previous victory in 1937. A top three place at Hickstead will help settle Irish anxieties ahead of the final Meydan round at the Failte Ireland Dublin Horse Show next week, where the lowest-scoring four teams of the series will be relegated for 2011.
At Pardubice in the Czech Republic, meanwhile, five riders represent Ireland in the Young Rider European Eventing Championships, while at Bishop Burton in England 13 Irish combinations battle for honours in the FEI European Pony Championships, where the three disciplines of show jumping, eventing and dressage will feature.
Jessica Kurten is the sole Irish representative at San Patrignano's five- star show in Italy, where she lines out from today with three horses.
Dressage sees Ireland's Anna Merveldt, Laragh Hamilton, Katy Price and Anne Marie Dunphy compete at Hickstead.