Caitriona Murphy

IRELAND’s eventing high performance manager Nick Turner has added three new names - Jonty Evans, Patricia Ryan and Camilla Speirs - to the ‘Rio Squad’ in preparation for next year’s Olympics.

The squad consists of 10 athletes with horses aged eight to 14 years who will receive funding towards their training and competition costs and are closely supported by Turner.

Turner said there were also some very impressive results from the athletes on the ‘Horizon Squad’, who do not meet the current criteria for the ‘Rio Squad’ but are also in consideration for selection for Nations Cups and the forthcoming championships.

Turner commented: “With more high profile events coming up at Saumur, Tattersalls, Bramham and Luhmuhlen, I am confident that we will have strong, competitive teams for both the European Championships at Blair Castle in September and the Olympic Games next year.”

The Rio Squad includes Clare Abbott & Euro Prince (ISH), Aoife Clark with Arco BB and Fernhill Adventure, Fraser Duffy and Fernhill Revelation (ISH) and Sarah Ennis and Horseware Stellor Rebound (ISH).

Jonty Evans is named in the Rio squad with Cooley Rorkes Drift (ISH), as is Mark Kyle with Jemilla.

Joseph Murphy is named with four horses; Westwinds Hercules (ISH), Electric Cruise (ISH), Sportsfield Orthello (ISH) and DHI Topstory (AES).

Austin O’Connor has two horses named, Balham Houdini (ISH) and Kilpatrick Knight (ISH), while Patricia Ryan is named with Dunrath Eclipse (ISH).

Camilla Speirs joins the squad with BT Border Bandit (ISH), alongside Sam Watson and Horseware Lukeswell (ISH).