GAIN Horse Feeds and Horse Sport Ireland hosted a medal reception in the Lyrath Hotel, Kilkenny last Thursday to celebrate the success of Team Ireland Equestrian’s underage show jumping and eventing teams during 2015.

Winning Aga Khan team member Greg Broderick was the special guest at the event, which celebrated six underage medals won by Irish equestrian athletes last year. Broderick was keen to offer advice to the young riders who attended and said, “Ireland has such talented riders but the sport is not just about that. If I was to give any guidance to these riders the word I would emphasise is communication. Riders need to communicate well with their owners and sponsors and it is a skill riders need to constantly work on.”

Cathal Daniels, who was part of the young rider eventing team, along with making his senior debut on the winning Nations Cup team in Boekelo last year, also attended attended the event. Daniels (19), is on the long list for this year’s Olympic Games in Rio.

Chairman of Glanbia Plc, Henry Corbally, said. “Glanbia and Gain Horse Feeds are very proud sponsors of Team Ireland Equestrian’s underage show jumping and eventing teams. They have had a hugely successful year and we were delighted to host this event in recognition of their achievements in 2015. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Team Ireland Equestrian competitors the very best for 2016.”

Chairman of the HSI finance committee, James Kennedy, made a presentation to the medallists on behalf of Horse Sport Ireland. “These riders have put Ireland up in lights. They and their families deserve huge credit. The high performance structures which are now in place are working well and I want to thank the coaches and the HSI staff for the work they put in to ensure our teams are professionally prepared when they go to these championships,” he said.

Team Ireland Equestrian medal winners 2015:

Zara Nelson - individual bronze, Pony Eventing

Tony Kennedy, Suzie Berry, Cathal Daniels, Harold Megahey - Young Rider Eventing, team bronze

Olivia Roulston, Abbie Sweetnam, Luke Garrigan, Mikey Pender - Pony Showjumping, team silver

Michael Duffy, Eoin McMahon, Jonathon Gordon, Michael G Duffy - Young Rider Showjumping, team bronze

Anna Carway, Susan Fitzpatrick, Cormac Hanley, Phillip Carway - Junior Showjumping, team silver

Jennifer Kuehnle - Children on Horses, individual gold

(See pictures on A73)