Nations Cup teams in action

FOLLOWING Ireland’s success in the first EEF Nations Cup leg in Bedizzole, Italy, Irish teams are in action at the the Deauville and St Gallen Nations Cup fixtures this weekend. At Deauville, Ethan Ahearne partnered LVS Goldrush H, Harry Allen rode Edison de Hus, Lt Michaeli Byrne rode MHS Claregalway and Matt Garrigan rode Grace V to finished 12th in Friday’s Longines EEF Nations Cup. Ireland finished on a two round total of 33 faults with victory going to Italy on six faults. Representing Ireland at the concurrent CSIO5* Range Rover Nations Cup of Switzerland in St Gallen were Michael Duffy (Mister Qerly Z), Denis Lynch (Vistogrand), Mark McAuley (Rossi vd Heffinck) and Niamh McEvoy (BP Rocket Man (ISH)). At time of print in St Gallen, Ireland sat on 12 faults for seventh place. A full report on the Irish team performances will appear in next week’s edition.

Show jumper sent forward for trial

IRISH international show jumper Michael Kearins has been sent forward for trial at the next sittings of Sligo Circuit Court in July, after appearing before Judge Ciaran Liddy at Tubbercurry District Court last week, according to The Irish Independent. Kearins is charged with knowingly handling a stolen horse, namely Currina Diamond Tiara. Mr Adrian Gillick, the solicitor defending Kearins, has made an application for legal aid to cover junior and senior counsel and informed Judge Liddy that a bail application in the High Court was pending for his client. Kearins was remanded in custody.

Kearins, formerly of Knockbeg, Collooney, Co Sligo, and currently with an address in Holland, was also convicted of deception at Sligo Circuit Court in 2019. In that instance, Kearins sent a pony inferior to the one Donegal business man Sean Ewing had agreed to buy from him to the Ewing’s home in Majorca. At the time, Kearins claimed that Ewing’s wife had agreed to accept a pony different to the one her husband intended to purchase. Kearins later accepted that this claim was untrue, and paid compensation of €20,000 and a fine of €11,000.

AIRC mourns Emily McDonagh

OAKLEAF Riding Club and the AIRC have each paid tribute to Emily McDonagh, who died recently. Emily was a member of Oakleaf Riding Club since its formation in the early 1980s, and she served on the Board of Directors of the AIRC from 2004 to 2016.

She also dedicated many years to helping to organise the showing area at the Riding Club Festival when it was held at Stradbally in Co Laois. Oakleaf Riding Club said of Emily: “Her knowledge, dedication and friendship will be fondly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her.”