TELEVISION coverage of equestrian sport has been on the wane for several years and it is interesting to note the significant coverage given to the European Championships in Punchestown in 1991, as highlighted in Brendan Allen’s Times Past feature on page A52.

At the time, RTÉ borrowed six cameras from BBC Northern Ireland, to give it 13 cameras capturing the footage to be distributed to 25 countries. Cross-country day was afforded a two and a half hour programme, as well as a 45-minute highlights show that night and a 50-minute highlights show the following day, topped off by an hour and a half of the show jumping finale.