Coyle, McAuley, O’Connor and Sweetnam chosen for Rotterdam leg of Longines League of Nations

  • 17 June 2024, 13:26

Mark McAuley and GRS Lady Amaro will jump for Ireland in Friday’s Longines League of Nations. Pic: Sportfot

The Underwriting Exchange Irish Senior Show Jumping team return to Longines League of Nations action on Friday and Michael Blake has named a strong quartet for the Rotterdam leg of the prestigious competition.

Ireland currently leads the League of Nations standings after an Abu Dhabi runner-up finish and an Ocala win, before the St Gallen leg fell victim to the weather and was cancelled.

Qualification to the Barcelona final in October is already secured but with the Paris Olympics on the horizon and Irish teams riding the crest of wave currently, High Performance Show Jumping Director Blake is hoping for another excellent performance.

Blake has named Daniel Coyle with Paris-nominated Legacy, Mark McAuley with the Irish Sport Horse GRS Lady Amaro, Shane Sweetnam with RR Combella and Cian O’Connor with Eve D’Ouilly.

Daniel Coyle and Legacy have been in superb form. Pic: Sportfot

The 10 best teams in the world will be jumping on Friday, with Ireland facing hosts The Netherlands, United States, France, Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, Sweden and Brazil and the action begins at 3pm, Irish time.

Blake said: “We have been in excellent form so far in this season’s Longines League of Nations and with the Olympics very much on our radar now I’m hoping the lads can continue where we left off in Ocala and cement our position at the top of the standings.

“Obviously Daniel and Legacy have been nominated in the three for Paris and the other three combinations are also on the list of alternates so they’ll all be looking to impress here in Rotterdam.

“First and foremost, though, it’s about representing our country with pride – these Nations Cups are always fiercely contested so we’ll need to be at our best.”

The Irish team of Shane Sweetnam, Daniel Coyle, team manager Michael Blake, Cian O’Connor and Darragh Kenny on the podium after winning in Ocala. Pic: Morgan Froment

The Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping Team for the Rotterdam Longines League of Nations, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

Daniel Coyle (Co. Derry) with Legacy, owned by Ariel Grange.

Mark McAuley (Co. Louth) with GRS Lady Amaro (ISH), owned by SNC McAuley Equestrian.

Cian O’Connor (Co. Kildare) with Eve D’Ouilly, owned by Nicole Walker and Cian O’Connor.

Shane Sweetnam (Co. Cork) with RR Combella, owned by Voquest LLC.

BREEDING:

GRS LADY AMARO (ISH) – 2013 mare by Amaretto Darco (BWP) out of Legal Lady (TB) by Over The River (TB). Breeder: Denis Hickey, Co. Wexford. Owner: SNC McAuley Equestrian. Rider: Mark McAuley (IRL).

The Irish Show Jumping team is sponsored by The Underwriting Exchange

Charles Ancona – Official athlete clothing supplier to HSI’s Senior Olympic programmes

Bucas – official supplier to the Irish High Performance programme