IT’S a busy weekend for Ireland’s senior international show jumpers, as two Nations Cups teams will be fielded on two different continents within three days. The action kicked off yesterday (Friday) in Rome, where Jessica Kurten’s team were contesting the five-star event in Piazza di Sienna, which Ireland last won in 2023. Kurten’s team of Jordan Coyle riding Cordiamo (a last-minute substitution for Chaccolino), Denis Lynch riding Vistogrand, Cian O’Connor riding Ulysses and Tom Wachman riding Tabasco De Toxandria Z were heading into round two on four faults at time of print.

Lynch had already made a flying start in Italy, as on Thursday he topped the podium in the five-star 1.45m Winning Round class with Conterno-Blue PS, ahead of Rodrigo Pessoa riding Giorgio D’Ellipse and Lorenzo De Luca riding Golden De Breuil.

On Sunday, attention will turn to Langley in Vancouver, Canada, an event which Ireland won last year. The team for this four-star competition will be formed by James Chawke riding Daido van’t Ruytershof, Dylan Daly riding Cinderella Z, Lorcan Gallagher riding Copycat and Conor Swail riding Clonterm Obolensky.

“With just three months to go now, the countdown is on and, like every nation, we’re building towards the World Championships in Aachen,” said Jessica Kurten, Horse Sport Ireland’s show jumping high performance manager. “That countdown will be in every top show jumper’s mind. For others, it’s about getting as much experience as they can in team environments.

“The team heading to Vancouver will be full of confidence and hoping to put themselves in contention for a strong result,” Kurten continued. “Conor Swail is selected and was part of the Irish team when they won last year. He comes into the weekend in great form and will be hoping to help Ireland achieve a strong result.”

Bicton Horse Trials

Closer to home, Bicton International Horse Trials will host a Nations Cup alongside its TopSpec CCI4*-S this weekend, with the dressage phase taking place yesterday (Friday), the show jumping today, and the concluding cross-country phase on Sunday. Horse Sport Ireland’s eventing high performance manager Sam Griffiths named his team as U25 rider Molly O’Neill with Muckridge Quickstep, Susie Berry with John The Bull, Danielle McCormack with MGH Hildare Harlequin and Padraig McCarthy with MGH Zabaione. McCarthy also bred the latter pair.

Irish event riders are also in action at Royal Jump in France, where Austin O’Connor earned a career best international dressage score of 23.5 to lead the CCI3*-L riding Kate Jarvey’s Diamond Mistress. Both rides of Georgie Goss also lay in the top three of their respective classes after the first day of dressage, with Kojak second in the CCI4*-L on 27.6. Having rerouted from harder than expected ground at Badminton, Feloupe lay in third in the CCI4*-S on 29.0. Coverage from these events will feature in next week’s edition.