Michael Blake names Irish Show Jumping team for Sunday’s Longines FEI Nations Cup in Abu Dhabi

  • 21 January 2022, 10:58

Irish Show Jumping team manager Michael Blake has named his team for this weekend’s five-star Longines FEI Nations Cup at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

This will be the first Longines FEI Nations Cup of the 2022 season, and although not eligible for league points as a European Division 1 team, Ireland will be hoping for a positive result in Abu Dhabi having finished as runners-up behind Germany the last time they lined out at this venue in 2019.

Having led Ireland to a runner-up finish in the 2021 Longines FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, team manager Michael Blake has this week signed a contract extension with Horse Sport Ireland which will keep the Co Clare native in his current role throughout the current Olympic cycle to Paris 2024.

Ireland have been drawn fifth to jump of the eight teams that will compete in Abu Dhabi and Michael Blake has selected his team as follows:

Tipperary’s Shane Breen with Z7 Ipswich – owned by Shane Breen & Team Z7
Kilkenny’s Jack Ryan with BBS McGregor (ISH) – owned by Marguerite Ryan
Derry’s David Simpson with Foudre F – owned by Breen Equestrian & David Simpson
Tipperary’s Trevor Breen with Highland President – owned by Heather Black

Ireland will be up against teams from Britain, Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the hosts UAE. Four of those teams (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the UAE) are eligible to compete for the two qualifying spots on offer for the 2022 Longines FEI Nations Cup Final which once again will take place in Barcelona (ESP) later this year.

Ireland’s first points-scoring outing in Europe Division 1 will come at Sopot (POL) in June, followed by Rotterdam (NED), Hickstead (GBR) and their home Nations Cup at the Dublin Horse Show next August.

Sunday’s Longines FEI Nations Cup in Abu Dhabi starts at 10.30am Irish time and is live on FEITV.

BREEDING
BBS McGregor (ISH) – 2012 Gelding by Cardento (HOLST) out of Random Chance (ISH) by Mark Twain (TB) bred and owned by Marguerite Ryan (Co Kilkenny) ridden by Jack Ryan.

The Irish Show Jumping team is sponsored by Devenish and The Underwriting Exchange.
Equiline – Official athlete clothing supplier of Horse Sport Ireland