Team trainer - Jerome O’Connor

Highlights:

Our team is in great form. I would strongly fancy our chances as the riders have a lot of experience between them. Most of the ponies are relatively inexperienced, however, they are in great form and have proven themselves against more experienced ponies, at the Irish trials, to be selected for the world team.

Our major threats will come from England, New Zealand, France and Scotland when competing for the world title. But, we were very narrowly beaten into second place last year at the world championships in Kentucky - we have the ability, all we need now is a bit of LUCK.

Name: Jamie Reavey

Age: 19

Pony: Brogan

Highlights:

I first became involved with horses around the age of seven. I hunted with the Fermanagh Harriers and also competed in show jumping. I started playing games when I was 13 having joined the Monaghan pony club. It is such a privilege to have been selected to represent Ireland on home turf. I really believe we have a great chance of taking the title, especially after coming so close in 2014. To do so in front of the home crowd would be an unbelievable feeling.

Brogan is a five-year-old Connemara, bred in Co Monaghan. This will be his first really competitive year at games, but he was part of the team that won the Northern Ireland Team Championships in both 2014 and 2015. Brogan has a real willingness to go forward and is always keen to learn.

Name: Jake O’Connor

Age: 24

Pony: Izzy

Highlights:

When I was younger my mother started a pony club games team for the Kildare Hunt pony club, where we were members. At the time we were very involved in eventing but mounted games soon took over. What I love most is the challenging and diverse nature of the sport - incorporating athleticism, hand eye coordination, teamwork et cetera - which I feel other equestrian disciplines tend to lack.

We are a small country with few members but the mounted games riders we have are top class. And hopefully with the crowd behind us we will be able to take the gold. Izzy is a five-year-old Connemara and Arab cross, bred by Craig Rountree in Co Cavan. I have had her two years now, she is still very new to games but has shown a lot of maturity.

Name: Craig O’Connor

Age: 25

Pony: Millie

Highlights:

I grew up around horses as my parents breed and train racehorses. I started playing mounted games when I was 12, after watching an older rider perform a demonstration for our pony club. The speed and skill involved amazed me. I am delighted to have been selected for this year’s world team. It was no easy task as the standard of riders here in Ireland is the highest it’s ever been.

Millie, a 15-year-old thoroughbred and sport horse cross, is relatively new to the sport. I bought her in Kerry a year ago. She had competed previously in show jumping and pony racing showing that she had both speed and powerful turns.

Name: Alan Keogan

Age: 24

Pony: Nessa

Highligts:

I started hunting and playing games with the Meath pony club when I was 10. My favourite thing about mounted games is the fun that’s had on and off the playing field. I now also play for Leicestershire when I ride in UK competitions. This will be my second time to compete on the Irish world team but this year is a lot more important to me as it’s on home soil.

My pony Nessa is a 13-year-old Arab and Connemara cross. I bought her in Co Kerry six years ago and trained her to do games. She and I won our first of three European titles less than 12 months into our training. I feel very lucky to have found one like her.

Name: Ben O’Connor

Age: 23

Pony: GTI

Highlights:

Despite being involved in various pony club disciplines from an early age, I was captivated by mounted games. The exhilaration from competing at a high standard and the satisfaction of training young ponies to play games is what I enjoy most. This will be my third world team championship, having come second and third in 2011 and 2012 respectively. I’m determined we can take the title this year. I was delighted when I made this year’s team, the standard of the trials for Ireland were the highest I’ve ever seen.

GTI is an 11-year-old sport horse owned by Valerie Osbourne, a Vet here in Kildare, who I would like to thank enormously for letting me ride him. GTI was a successful show jumper in his early years but lost his lustre for jumping, he has quickly rekindled his competitive edge since being introduced to games.

Team trainer - Mark Devitt

Highlights:

My Irish team have the passion and ability to win this competition. They are a great bunch of lads who get on so well together which is really important, especially in a high-pressure, team sport like mounted games. I was very happy with how the team performed at last month’s UK Masters and Junior Home Internationals. The English team was very strong and we finished close behind them. We have speed and we have been working hard to improve on our technical skills, I have full confidence in my team’s ability and I think they are going to win.

Name: Eoin Reavey

Age: 16

Pony: Cuba

Highlights:

I first started playing mounted games with the Monaghan Pony Club when I was 10.

This will be my first time to represent Ireland on a world team and I am both honoured and proud to have been selected. I also play for the Monmouthshire U17 Team when I ride in UK competitions.

I bought my pony, Cuba, as a four-year-old and broke and trained him myself to be a mounted games pony.

He is now a seasoned professional, with speed, agility and a cracking personality to boot this makes competing him so enjoyable.

Name: Ciaran O’ Leary

Age: 16

Pony: Hidalgo

Highlights:

I started horse riding when I was eight and quickly joined the Island hunt pony club where I competed mostly at eventing before being introduced to mounted games. Ever since that first introduction, mounted games has been my main competitive discipline. I am thrilled to have been given another opportunity to ride for Ireland, especially on home soil. It means a lot - not just to me but my family and friends also - to represent my country at a sport I love.

Hidalgo is a 12-year-old Welsh cross which we purchased in Denmark. I’ve had Hidalgo for two years now. Prior to competing with me Hidalgo represented Denmark at the 2014 world team championships. He is intelligent, patient and above all fast.

Name: George Connolly

Age: 16

Pony: Harvey

Highlights:

My father has a thoroughbred stud farm and my mother is a Physiotherapist, both for humans and horses, so from a young age I have been surrounded by horses. I joined the Carlow Hunt Pony Club when I was eight. I have worked for Mr Jim Bolger and I have ridden out for both Mr John Gosden and Mr Nicolas Clement. This is my first time to be part of the world team and I am very excited as the championships are being held here in Ireland. Hopefully we will have a lot of supporters there to encourage us as there is more at stake when you’re competing on home soil!

My pony Harvey is a great friend and ally. He was bred in West Cork by Jeremiah O’Donovan. Harvey’s greatest loves are hunting and hunt chasing. He is a great jumper and can turn on a sixpence.

Name: Stevie Kieran

Age: 17

Pony: Skylar

Highlights:

I became involved in mounted games when I was 10 and after that all other riding disciplines lost their spark. For me, mounted games has all the thrill and excitement of top-class competition and the adrenalin rush you get makes it unbeatable as far as riding enjoyment is concerned. I represented the Louth pony club four times at the Dublin Horse Show and the Irish pony club twice at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. This will be my first time competing at the World Championships.

My pony, Skylar is an eight-year-old, bought here in Ireland. We have taken her training very slowly and she is now showing great promise. In preparation for the Worlds, Skylar and I have been competing in the UK with my English county team and that is really helping both of us to stay focused and sharp.

Name: Leo Kieran

Age: 15

Pony: Flash

Highlights:

I started playing games for the Louth pony club when I was eight and we have had many successes with our pony club games team over the years including winning the U10 all Ireland pony club championships in 2010, the junior all Ireland pony club championships in 2012 and 2013 and the senior pony club final at the Dublin Horse Show in 2013 and 2014. This year will be my first year in the U17 age group and I have now started to ride with Bedfordshire in the UK League.

My pony, Flash, is now 15 years old. He started off as a show jumper and only began playing games last year. He is proving to be a fantastic games pony, although he can be a bit cheeky at times. He seems to really enjoy the games.

FAMILY CONNECTIONS 1. Jerome O’Connor – Jake and Ben’s dad, Craig O’Connor’s uncle 2. Jamie Reavey and Eoin Reavey are brothers 3. Stevie Kieran and Leo Kieran are brothers