KATE Kerr-Horan from Tinahely Co Wicklow, will be the sole Irish representative at the Longines FEI European Para Dressage Championships, which start in Gothenburg, Sweden on Monday next (August 21st).

Horan has represented Ireland at numerous international fixtures, scoring regular top-six placings. She finished seventh in the freestyle competition at her first European Championships in 2013 in Denmark. The following year she finished ninth at the World Equestrian Games in France and in 2015 scored a seventh place finish at the European Championships – also in France.

In Gothenburg, Horan will ride the 17-year-old bay mare Arlande. They will face stiff competition in Gothenburg where five gold medallists return to top flight international competition since facing off at last summer’s Paralympic Games in Rio. They will be joined by a further three Rio silver and bronze medallists, and together with a total of 62 athletes will compete for 30 individual and freestyle medals in five grades.

Horan and Arlande will perform their first Grade III test on Monday at the Heden arena in Gothenburg, followed by the individual championship medal deciding final round on Tuesday. The top eight competitors will then go forward to the Freestyle final on Wednesday.