Investec Irish Showjumping Team for tomorrow’s Aga Khan trophy announced

Horse Sport Ireland’s High Performance Showjumping Team Manager, Robert Splaine, has this evening (Thursday) announced his team of four, who will represent Ireland in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup at Dublin on Friday. The quartet will be hoping to repeat last year’s performance where the Irish team stormed to victory to claim the coveted Aga Khan trophy.

The Investec Irish Showjumping Team, in alphabetical order, will be:

• Bertram Allen (20) from Wexford with Noel Delahunty’s Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve
• Greg Broderick (30) from Tipperary with Caledonia Stable’s MHS Going Global (ISH)
• Denis Lynch (40) from Tipperary with Denis Lynch & Thomas Straumann’s All Star 5
• Cian O’Connor (36) from Meath with Adena Springs & Ronnoco Jump Ltd.’s Good Luck

The Nations Cup takes place on Friday at 15.00 GMT and will be televised live on RTE 1, with coverage starting at 13.15. Eight nations will compete in the Aga Khan this week and the Investec Irish Showjumping Team have been drawn third to jump.

Speaking at the team announcement, Robert Splaine said; “We have four riders familiar with the big stage, if they can deliver their proven best we’ve a good chance to do very well”.

As in 2015, Investec will sponsor the Irish Showjumping Team in this year’s Aga Khan. Dublin is traditionally the last of the Furuiyya FEI Nations Cup Series but for 2016, with the show changing dates due to the Rio Olympic Games, Hickstead (GBR) will now be the last leg at which to qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final 2016, which takes place in Barcelona (ESP). Ireland are currently lying in sixth place in the series, with Dublin being their last Nations Cup at which they can gain series points. A total of ten nations have competed in Europe Division I during the season, and seven of those teams will qualify for Barcelona.

ENDS