THE appointment of one of the show jumping world’s most recognised names to the top job of Ireland’s chef d’equipe is one that has almost instantly raised the expectations of Championships medals for Ireland’s senior show jumping team.

The Pessoa name needs no introduction and in making such an appointment, Horse Sport Ireland is also making a real statement of its own. Make no mistake about it, getting green jackets onto the podium of the upcoming major Championships is the name of the game.

Not for the want of trying in the past and it has to be said, in some instances it was just plain bad luck, that kept Ireland’s top show jumping riders away from the top-drawer medals.

CENTRE STAGE

The fact is we are the only nation with so many national riders in the world’s top 50 and it’s high time that the Irish national team stopped being the bridesmaid and took centre stage.

We congratulate Rodrigo Pessoa on his appointment as we hurtle towards the first of Ireland’s points-scoring Nation Cup outings in Lummen, Belgium, in barely six weeks’ time.

Next week Irish Horse World’s show jumping reporter Judith Faherty will catch up with the new Irish chef d’equipe at Florida’s Winter Equestrian Festival – where the Irish team have dominated the two recent Nations Cup outings in Ocala and Wellington – and we look forward to her indepth interview.

HEROIC SERVICE

This St Patrick’s weekend, the thoughts of everyone across Ireland are with the families, friends and colleagues of the brave Coast Guard crew who so tragically lost their lives this week.

Between them, Capt. Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith had saved countless lives, among them fallen riders.

They were friends of the equestrian community, always ready to help when needed.

It is a profoundly sad loss to the entire country of an utterly dedicated team of highly trained professionals. Our deepest condolences to their families, friends and colleagues.