IRELAND is running out of chances to qualify a team for next September’s Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and last weekend, due to the unavailability of two riders and a lame horse, only three of the squad of six could travel to the three-star show at Bury Farm in England.

Accompanied by chef d’equipe Dara Kearney and team trainer Donie McNamara, the trio of Helen Kearney (Rock And Roll), Kate Kerr Horan (Arlande) and Kathryn Gallagher (Waragon), finished second in the team competition on a total of 406.750% behind a British quartet (436.497) which was nearly invincible.