ormanc
ammes
Aachen (GER) in August 2015. The Championships were
Ireland's last chance to qualify a team for the 2016 Olympic
Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
The Investec Irish Showjumping Team, came within less
than half a point of securing one of the three Olympic
qualifying slots available at the final of the European Jumping
Championships in Aachen, Germany. With five of the 10 teams
that qualified for the final, from 22 starters chasing the three
Rio slots, Ireland finished fourth in this category and took
seventh spot in the overall European team ranking.
Controversially, Ireland's third rider, Cian O'Connor, and his
nine-year-old stallion, Good Luck, were on course to repeat
their clear round from the previous day when a member
of the Aachen arena sta inexplicably crossed their tracks
on the approach to the final sequence of fences. O'Connor
unexpectedly had the next fence down. Irish team o cials
lodged an appeal with the Aachen ground jury over the
incident, and then with the appeals committee at Aachen, but
without success.
Speaking after the competition Damian McDonald, Horse
Sport Ireland (HSI) CEO, said: "We are very proud of the
Irish team's performance at the European Championships
crossed the tracks of Cian O'Connor and his horse, Good
Luck, causing interference, we will be examining all of our
options provided for within the rules of the International
Governing Body the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI)
including a potential appeal to the Court of Arbitration for
Sport (CAS)."
In December 2015, the appeal by HSI and Cian O'Connor
was heard by the CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland. Speaking
prior to the hearing, HSI chairman, Pat Wall, said: "To have a
showjumping team at the Olympic Games is very important
for Ireland. Our riders and their owners are doing a huge
amount to promote Ireland as a world leader in the sport of
showjumping. They went to the European Championships to
pursue their Olympic dream. A freak incident occurred on the
day which hindered our e orts. All we are looking for is fair
play. We are convinced that if this incident had not happened,
the Irish showjumping team would be going to the Olympics."
CAS advised HSI that the appeal had been rejected. Ireland's
only chance of fielding a showjumping team at the 2016
Olympic Games is for another team to drop out. Ireland are
however on course to qualifying for at least one, if not two,
individual places at the Rio Games.
hosted by HSI and Gain Horse Feeds, sponsors of the
underage showjumping and eventing teams, to recognise the
achievements of Irish medallists in 2015.
Irish underage squads won six medals through showjumping
and eventing in 2015. Irish international showjumper and Aga
Khan team member, Greg Broderick, spoke at the reception
and o ered advice on how to succeed at the next level and in
the industry as a whole. Greg gave the riders an insight into
the feeling of representing your country at the highest level,
giving them all something to aspire to in the future.
The riders, trainers, vets, managers and team associates were
honoured on the night with framed pictures from the year
presented by HSI and Gain Horse Feed vouchers presented
by Henry Corbally, chairman of Glanbia.
at the 2015 Team Ireland Equestrian medal reception with
members of the underage showjumping and eventing teams.