The Irish Show Jumping team get their 2019 Longines FEI Nations Cup campaign in Europe Division 1 underway at La Baule in France tomorrow (Friday) and team manager Rodrigo Pessoa has this afternoon selected his four team members from his five man squad. Ireland, sponsored by Devenish and The Underwriting Exchange, have been drawn first to jump of the eight teams that will take part at the French coastal venue and line out as follows: Cork’s Shane Sweetnam with Indra Van De Oude Heihoef – owned by The Blue Buckle Group Limerick’s Paul O’Shea with Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu – owned by Machu Picchu Partners LLC Offaly’s Darragh Kenny with Balou Du Reventon – owned by Ann Thompson Meath’s Cian O’Connor with Irenice Horta – owned by Ronnoco Jump Ltd Ireland finished in the top two in four of their five points-scoring Nations Cup rounds in 2018, on their way to a second place finish on the league table. La Baule will be Ireland’s first of four opportunities to gain points in Europe’s top division this year and is followed by Sopot in Poland, Hickstead in England and Ireland’s home Nations Cup in Dublin. What promises to be an exciting afternoon of jumping in La Baule, will see Ireland followed into the arena by Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, Britain, Brazil and Switzerland. The competition starts at 1pm Irish time and is live on FEITV. Irish riders have already been in excellent form in La Baule, filling two of the top three places in today’s (Thursday) feature 1m50 Prix FFE. Victory went to Offaly’s Darragh Kenny and the Billy Stud-owned Billy Dorito after they finished clear in 67.15 seconds to take the top prize of €7,000. Canada’s Eric Lamaze and Chacco Kid finished second in 67.31, while Cork’s Shane Sweetnam finished third with Alejandro in 68.44. Meanwhile Ireland will also field a team tomorrow in the three-star FEI Nations cup at Drammen in Norway where Shane Carey will be Ireland’s Chef d’Equipe. The Irish team for the Drammen Nations Cup is as follows: Kilkenny’s Susan Fitzpatrick with Fellow Castlefield – owned by Sharon Fitzpatrick Laois’s Aidan Killeen with Fair Play – owned by H.P.J. Verdellen Kilkenny’s Ger O’Neill with Castlefield Vegas (ISH) – owned by Martin Egan Tyrone’s Jenny Rankin with Bennys Legacy – owned by Deirdre Bourns
The Irish Show Jumping team get their 2019 Longines FEI Nations Cup campaign in Europe Division 1 underway at La Baule in France tomorrow (Friday) and team manager Rodrigo Pessoa has this afternoon selected his four team members from his five man squad. Ireland, sponsored by Devenish and The Underwriting Exchange, have been drawn first to jump of the eight teams that will take part at the French coastal venue and line out as follows: Cork’s Shane Sweetnam with Indra Van De Oude Heihoef – owned by The Blue Buckle Group Limerick’s Paul O’Shea with Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu – owned by Machu Picchu Partners LLC Offaly’s Darragh Kenny with Balou Du Reventon – owned by Ann Thompson Meath’s Cian O’Connor with Irenice Horta – owned by Ronnoco Jump Ltd Ireland finished in the top two in four of their five points-scoring Nations Cup rounds in 2018, on their way to a second place finish on the league table. La Baule will be Ireland’s first of four opportunities to gain points in Europe’s top division this year and is followed by Sopot in Poland, Hickstead in England and Ireland’s home Nations Cup in Dublin. What promises to be an exciting afternoon of jumping in La Baule, will see Ireland followed into the arena by Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, Britain, Brazil and Switzerland. The competition starts at 1pm Irish time and is live on FEITV. Irish riders have already been in excellent form in La Baule, filling two of the top three places in today’s (Thursday) feature 1m50 Prix FFE. Victory went to Offaly’s Darragh Kenny and the Billy Stud-owned Billy Dorito after they finished clear in 67.15 seconds to take the top prize of €7,000. Canada’s Eric Lamaze and Chacco Kid finished second in 67.31, while Cork’s Shane Sweetnam finished third with Alejandro in 68.44. Meanwhile Ireland will also field a team tomorrow in the three-star FEI Nations cup at Drammen in Norway where Shane Carey will be Ireland’s Chef d’Equipe. The Irish team for the Drammen Nations Cup is as follows: Kilkenny’s Susan Fitzpatrick with Fellow Castlefield – owned by Sharon Fitzpatrick Laois’s Aidan Killeen with Fair Play – owned by H.P.J. Verdellen Kilkenny’s Ger O’Neill with Castlefield Vegas (ISH) – owned by Martin Egan Tyrone’s Jenny Rankin with Bennys Legacy – owned by Deirdre Bourns