Ireland sends Dressage Nations’ Cup Team to compete at Hickstead this week

THOUGH Hickstead in England is best known for its show jumping events, Ireland this year has sent a dressage team as well as a jumping squad to compete at the famous Sussex venue.

Ireland’s dressage team begins competition today (Thursday) in the three-star Nations’ Cup, one of seven countries taking part.

The Irish contingent, under Chef d’Equipe Robert McCormick, is:
Kate Dwyer with Reve D’Or (1998 bay stallion by Flemmingh, Owner: Maureen Dwyer & Maeve Buttlerly)
Dane Rawlins with Sydney (1999 bay mare by Linaro, Owner: Pauline Harris & Dane Rawlins)
Roland Tong with Pompidou (1998 bay gelding by Prinz Wilhelm, Owner: Mrs S Wrigley)

This is Kate Dwyer’s first year competing Reve D’Or internationally, while Roland Tong and Pompidou only started to compete internationally together last year, with the combination already winning the Grand Prix Freestyle in Compiegne in June 2013 with 71.275 per cent and also finishing second in the Grand Prix Free Style in Deauville with 72.175 per cent last weekend.

Dane Rawlins and Sydney are an experienced combination and have put in solid performances in the last few years.

Rawlins and Tong have also been selected to represent Ireland individually at the European Dressage Championships in Herning, Denmark later this month.

Ireland’s Anna Merveldt and Coryolano have qualified for the European Championships but Merveldt decided not to enter this year.

The Irish show jumping team competes in the Hickstead Nations’ Cup on Friday afternoon under Chef d’Equipe Robert Splaine.