Source:  News Release/Colin McClelland

Show Jumping - Two Irish Riders to Compete in this Weekend's World Cup Final

TWO Irish riders are amongst the 39 show jumpers from 17 different countries who have qualified for this weekend's World Cup Jumping Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, which begins tomorrow (Thursday).

Tipperary's Denis Lynch and Cork's Shane Sweetnam are the Irish duo who will compete for one of the most coveted crowns in the sport over three gruelling competition rounds, which culminate with the Final on Sunday afternoon.

US-based Sweetnam, who has already won one of the non World Cup classes today (Wednesday) aboard the Swedish stallion Cyklon, said of his debut at the final: "It's my first time here, but I'm a very competitive person, and I have a great horse (Amaretto Darco) and we did very well at the European championships two years ago, so I'm hoping to be there at the end."

All riders begin with a zero score in Thursday afternoon's speed competition, and then progress to Friday's big jump-off class. The top two thirds of the leaderboard are then qualified for Sunday afternoon's final two rounds of jumping.

An Irish rider has yet to win the World Cup Final, though Dermott Lennon finished fifth two years ago, with Jessica Kurten taking equal fourth in 2008 and second place in 2006. Trevor Coyle and the legendary Irish Sport Horse stallion Cruising were also runners-up in 1999. Eddie Macken finished third in the first World Cup Final back in 1979.

In 2012, victory in the World Cup Final was achieved by the famous 16 year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion Flexible, ridden by the USA's Rich Fellers.

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