Ireland’s Morrison is new Student Rider World Champion

  • 3 January 2015, 13:08
IRELAND has a new World Champion in Student Rider Brian Morrison, who claimed Gold at the AIEC World Finals that took place this past week at Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre in Florida. 

The Irish Gold league team was Brian Morrison, James Brennan and Peter O’Donnell (the 2013 champion).

Morrison achieved the title for 2014 by winning in Dressage and coming fourth in the Show Jumping competitions. James Brennan (currently based in Wellington, Florida with Darragh Kenny) won in Show Jumping and came 13th in Dressage to finish fourth overall in the combined category.

The Irish team finished first in Show Jumping and third in Dressage to give them Silver in the Overall combined event.

Great Britain won the Gold medal in the team event.
Irish rider Tori Dixon also competed on a second-placed mixed International team in the Silver league and Gary Flynn with another mixed International team won the overall combined in the Silver League.

Riders competing at these events are some of the best young riders from around the world, with backgrounds in either Eventing, Dressage or Show Jumping and are selected for the squad through a trial process. 

There are two leagues; Gold and Silver. Nations compete to gain a place in the coveted Gold league. Countries competing this year included Ireland, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Spain, USA, France, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada, among others.

The competition was hosted by the American Student Rider Organisation, who put in a huge amount of work to pull the event together at one of the world’s most prominent venues.

This competition takes place following the cumulation of results achieved at other SRNCS around the world (Student Rider Nations Cups) by other Irish riders selected from Ireland’s International Squad. The results at these SRNCS during the year allow Ireland to gain points to leave them in the best possible position to compete for the Show jumping and Dressage Trophies and President’s Cup (Overall combined World Champions).

Irish student riders in Wellington

Irish student riders in Wellington