THE crème de la crème of student equestrian talent will travel to Ballindenisk for the fourth leg of the AIEC-Student Riding Nations Cup (SRNC) series on September 2nd-4th. Riders from 13 nations will compete on unfamiliar horses in show jumping and dressage at this last qualifier for the world finals.

Ireland currently lies in the precarious position of fourth place, with Norway hot on their heels only one point behind. With just the top four nations making it to the coveted Gold League final, the Irish trio of Ian Cassells (UCD), Claudia O’Donoghue (UL) and Tommy Harty (UCC) will be out to prove a point.

Twenty-year-old Mallow native Claudia O’Donoghue will be making her debut in Cork and is ready for the task: “It’s great to be selected to debut on home turf. The pressure is on but in preparation, I’ve been eventing all summer and training regularly with my coaches, especially to perfect the trickier dressage movements.”

Second year medicine student Tommy Harty has been competing to 1.40m Grand Prix level while bringing on young horses and is excited to also make his Nations Cup debut.

“This is my first SRNC and I’m really looking forward to it. I hope to bring my experience from the show jumping ring with me to Ballindenisk to perform well in front of the home crowd.”

Ian Cassells is the reigning dressage student world champion and a veteran of the SRNC league. The agricultural science student is delighted to again be selected for the Irish team and, having already secured two silver medals at the world championships in Sweden this year, he is certainly one to watch.

Equestrian fans can support the team by wishing them luck on social media using #SRNCIRL.