Irish Show Jumping team named for last Olympic qualification chance at FEI Nations Cup World Final in Barcelona 

  • 2 October 2019, 21:13

Ireland’s quest to qualify a Show Jumping team for next summer’s Olympic Games will reach a conclusion over the next four days, with the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final, which starts tomorrow (Thursday) in Barcelona (ESP), offering the very last opportunity to claim a converted ticket to Tokyo 2020.

Chef d’Equipe’s for the competing teams pictured following the draw for the opening competition at the Longines FEI Nations Cup World Final in Barcelona  (Photo: Hippo Foto – Dirk Caremans)

Eighteen teams from all over the globe, who qualified for the Barcelona finale based on performances in the FEI Nations Cup series over the summer, will fight for the title of 2019 FEI Nations Cup World Champions, while seven of those teams will also be involved in what promises to be a titanic battle to claim the one final Olympic team place on offer.

Irish team manager Rodrigo Pessoa has this evening named his four team members for tomorrow’s opening round of the Nations Cup competition, with Ireland, sponsored by Devenish and The Underwriting Exchange lining out as follows:

Waterford’s Peter Moloney with Chianti’s Champion – owned by Team Harmony
Limerick’s Paul O’Shea with Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu – owned by Machu Picchu Partners LLC
Offaly’s Darragh Kenny with Balou du Reventon – owned by Ann Thompson
Meath’s Cian O’Connor with PSG Final – owned by Ronnoco Jump Ltd

Ireland have been drawn 8th to jump and will be up against teams from Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Britain, Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and the home team from Spain.

Seven of those teams will fight it out for the one final Olympic team qualification place available, with Ireland in a battle with Norway, Portugal, Italy, Colombia, Egypt and Spain.

Speaking on the eve of the first competition in Barcelona, Rodrigo Pessoa said:

 “We’ve missed out already on two Olympic qualifications, so this is our third chance and hopefully it will be a good one!”

The opening competition of the finals starts tomorrow Thursday at 1pm Irish time with all 18 teams taking part in a one round contest. The top eight teams from that competition will go forward to Sunday’s Longines FEI Nations Cup Grand Final which offers €1.25 Million in prize money. The remaining 10 teams will go into Saturday’s Challenge Cup Final which has €300,000 up for grabs.

Free live coverage of tomorrow’s (Thursday) opening round of the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final will be shown on Team Ireland Equestrian Facebook page from 1pm Irish time and also on FEI.TV and FEI YouTube & Facebook.

The Irish Show Jumping team is sponsored by Devenish & The Underwriting Exchange

Equiline – Official athlete clothing supplier of Team Ireland Equestrian

Facts & Figures

  • The Longines FEI Nations Cup Final takes place at the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona  which is situated less than a kilometer from Camp Nou – home to Barcelona FC
  • The Real Club de Polo de Barcelona was the venue for the Show Jumping competitions at the 1992 Olympic Games
  • In addition to the competitions of the Nations Cup World Final, CSIO Barcelona will include five other individual competitions, including the Queen’s Cup, Segura Viudas Trophy and the Hyundai Cup of the City of Barcelona.
  • This is the 108th edition of CSIO Barcelona, which is Spain’s oldest international sport event
  • The 18 teams that will contest the Longines FEI Nations Cup Finals are: Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Britain, Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and Spain
  • The seven teams hoping to claim the one final Olympic team qualification place on offer are: Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Italy, Colombia, Egypt and Spain
  • This will be the seventh consecutive year for the event to take place at this venue
  • The course designer for the event will be Spaniard Santiago Varela

 

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