Caitriona Murphy

SPECULATION is mounting that Horse Sport Ireland is gearing up for a major announcement in relation to a new corporate sponsor for the Team Ireland show jumping team.

While HSI declined to comment on the speculation when contacted by The Irish Field, it is believed that talks about a corporate partnership between Team Ireland and a financial powerhouse are at an advanced stage.

If a deal is reached, it would mark the first time that the senior show jumping team has been championed by a single sponsor and would bode well for the future.

Team Ireland has developed a network of strong relations with a number of companies, including official team suppliers Horseware, Berney Saddlery, Gain Horse Feeds and Connolly’s Red Mills, Comfybed and TRM in recent years.

However the introduction of a ‘headline act’ supporting the team’s efforts would be a new, and very welcome, departure for Team Ireland.

It is understood that the proposals centre on a partnership for two key shows in the coming months, with Dublin mooted as one of the two. Watch this space.

FINAL ROUND

Meanwhile, the final round of The Underwriting Exchange Jumping in the City attracted a capacity crowd last week. Shelbourne park was heaving with spectators eager to watch national and international stars in action.

In the The Underwriting Exchange Grand Prix, former world champion show jumper Dermott Lennon was a popular winner on his long-term partner, Judith Sossick’s talented Irish Sport Horse mare Loughview Lou-Lou.

The Co Down rider picked up €5,600 in prize money after a seven horse jump-off which saw him outpace Kildare challenger Alexander Butler and Vimminka by three fifths of a second.

Joanna Penfold from Co Tipperary, riding the grey Irish Sport Horse King Cruise opened the action with a win in the Amateur Speed Class. They out-paced runner-up Paul Carroll and Castleroche La Roche (ISH) by just over a second to secure the class sponsors’ first prize of a West Wood Ifor Williams 506 horsebox.

In the Devenish Puissance competition that rounded off proceedings as the sun set at Shelbourne Park, three combinations shared first prize in the €6,000 competition when they cleared the wall at a height of 2.06m (6ft 7 inches).

Tipperary’s Liam O’Meara with the Irish Sport Horse Cisero, Galway’s Gabriel Corless on another Irish Sport Horse, Dollanstown, and Wexford’s Jason Higgins aboard Hadine Van’t Zorgvliet were the joint winners.