HORSE Sport Ireland's pony high performance manager, Anne Marie Dunphy, today announced the selection of Ireland's pony dressage team for the 2016 European Championships taking place at Aarhus Vilhelmsborg, Denmark, from August 17th - 21st.

The Pony Dressage team, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

• Laura Dennehy (16) from Cork riding Julie Lockey’s Ella

• Tara Hayes (14) from Kildare riding Fiona Hayes’s Bantiss Holy Joe

• Robyn O’Neill (14) from Limerick riding Kathryn Taylor’s Belsasser

• Emily Kate Robinson (16) from Waterford riding Elisabeth Ayn’s Crown Imagine or Geraldine Robinson’s Tisrara Hill (ISH)

Dunphy said: “I am delighted that we are in a position to field a dressage team for these championships for the third consecutive year, highlighting the ongoing development of the HSI High Performance Pony Dressage Program. Full credit is due to all of the athletes and their parents whose hard work and commitment continue to raise the standard of youth dressage in Ireland. The team members, three of whom are making their European Championship debut, achieved the qualification criteria comfortably and have shown steady improvement throughout the season. I am looking forward to seeing them compete in Vilhelmsborg.”

The pony dressage riders will compete for both team and individual European medals at the Danish venue, as well as medals for the individual freestyle competition.

Rounds one and two of the team competition will take place on the first and second days of the Championships, while rounds one and two for the individual competition will follow on the Friday and the Saturday. The top 18 riders from Saturday’s class will qualify for Sunday’s freestyle competition.