HORSE SPORT IRELAND: EQUESTRIAN - SPLAINE CONFIRMS TEAM FOR FRIDAY'S WELLINGTON NATIONS' CUP

Source: News Release/Colin McClelland

EQUESTRIAN - SPLAINE CONFIRMS TEAM FOR FRIDAY'S WELLINGTON NATIONS' CUP

IRELAND'S Show Jumping Manager Robert Splaine has today (Thursday) confirmed his team for Friday night's Nations Cup at Wellington in Florida, the second leg of the new Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup series.

Though the result of the four-star competition will not affect Ireland's ranking in the series, Splaine is anxious to see some of Ireland's US-based riders in action at this level of team contest.

He said today: "Wellington is a valuable opportunity for us to see some of our very talented riders on this side of the Atlantic perform at Nations Cup level, prior to the first of our 'official' Furusiyya team competition at La Baule in France in May, and it also fits in well with our overall planning."

The Irish team at Wellington on Friday night will be, in order of jumping:
Shane Sweetnam/Siri
Richie Moloney/Ahorn Van De Zuuthoeve,
Darragh Kerins/Lisona (ISH)
Cian O’Connor/Splendor

Ireland is drawn third to jump of seven teams, and there will be live coverage by www.feitv.org from midnight on Friday, Irish time.

In other parts of the world, Denis Lynch is Ireland's only competitor at the five-star show in Hong Kong this weekend, while in Bremen, Germany, the Irish contingent is Trevor Coyle and Thomas Ryan.

Capt. Michael Kelly and Brian O'Malley line out for the three-star show at Vejer de la Frontera, while elsewhere in Spain a large number of Irish riders compete in the two star Mediterranean Tour at Oliva. Portugal’s Atlantic Tour in Vilamoura also features a substantial number of Irish entrants.

In other disciplines, Eventers Becky Tandy and Caroline Marwood compete at Barroca d'Alva in Portugal, while Dane Rawlins represents Ireland in dressage at Vidauban in France.