Irish Show Jumping team named for Sunday’s Nations Cup at Hickstead as Breen scores speed win

Irish Show Jumping team manager Rodrigo Pessoa has named his four team members for tomorrow’s (Sunday) penultimate round of the 2018 Longines FEI Nations Cup Series at Hickstead in Britain.

Ireland, sponsored by Devenish & The Underwriting Exchange, have been drawn last to jump of seven teams and will line out as follows:

Tipperary’s Trevor Breen with Bombay – owned by Willy Matton
Kilkenny’s Richie Moloney with Freestyle De Muze – owned by Equinimity LLC
Galway’s Michael Duffy with EFS Top Contender – owned by Graham Dalton & Ben Dalton
Waterford’s Anthony Condon with SFS Aristio – owned by Anthony Condon & John Hales

Ireland will be up against teams from Belgium, Brazil, Sweden, Netherlands, Italy and Britain, in what is the second-last opportunity this season to score league points.

The Longines FEI Nations Cup of Britain starts at 2.15pm and is live on Sky Sports.

Shane Breen gave Ireland a win in today’s Bunn Leisure Speed Classic at Hickstead, when he came out on top with Can Ya Makan. The Tipperary rider finished 0.12 of a second ahead of British runner-up William Whitaker with Lammy Beach.

Breen and Can Ya Makan (pictured above) finished third in last month’s Al Shira’aa Derby at Hickstead and won the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial. “A speed class like this inspires him and keeps him keen,” said Breen. “I don’t use him as a speed horse as such – he jumps Derby’s, Grands Prix, teams – I love him because he’s so versatile. He’s a very good horse to have in the stable. Next year I think he’s got a great chance in the Al Shira’aa Derby and in the King George – he’s so useful.”

Breen was also best of the Irish in the earlier BHS Queen Elizabeth II Cup, taking sixth place with The Irish Sport Horse CSF Vendi Cruz. Another Irish Sport Horse, Glenavadra Brilliant, came out on top with James Whitaker (GBR).

The Irish Show Jumping Team is sponsored by The Underwriting Exchange and Devenish
Equiline – Official athlete clothing supplier of Team Ireland Equestrian