The accepted horse and rider combinations are Clare Abbott and Euro Prince, Aoife Clark and Fenyas Elegance, Geoff Curran and Shanaclough Crecora, Sarah Ennis and Sugar Brown Babe, Joseph Murphy and Sportsfield Othello, Jim Newsam and Magennis, as well as Sam Watson and Horseware Bushman.

Three more Irish combinations are on the waiting list; Mark Kyle and Coolio, Austin O’Connor and Ringwood Mississippi and Michael Ryan and Ballylynch Skyport.

Some 85 riders have been accepted from over 130 entries for the horse trials, which will take place from Wednesday, May 7th to Sunday, May 11th.

New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson has a record 33 completions to date but has never won. However he has a strong hand this year, with a choice of two from Nereo (third at Badminton last year), Quimbo (Kentucky winner 2013) and Avebury (first and second at Burghley).

Eight former winners of the Mitsubishi Motors Trophy will line up again this time, including double Olympic champion Mark Todd, Australians Andrew Hoy, Paul Tapner and Lucinda Fredericks and British riders Mary King, Oliver Townend, Pippa Funnell and William Fox-Pitt.