Austin O’Connor replaces Cathal Daniels as Irish Eventing team get Olympic campaign underway

Austin O’Connor replaces Cathal Daniels as Irish Eventing team get Olympic campaign underway


The Irish Eventing team were dealt a blow today less than 24 hours before the start of the Olympic Eventing competition in Tokyo, with news that Galway’s Cathal Daniels has been forced to withdraw his mare Rioghan Rua (ISH) from the opening Dressage competition for veterinary reasons.

Daniels will be replaced by Austin O’Connor who travelled to Tokyo as Reserve/P Alternate. The Irish team will not incur a penalty for the substitution as it is taking place before the competition is underway. Cork native O’Connor will ride the 11-year-old grey gelding Colorado Blue whom he owns along with the Salty Syndicate. Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua now revert to being the Reserve/P Alternate combination and can be called upon if required later in the competition – only of course if the veterinary report improves.


Picture Libby Law