MARK BARRY, the Limerick jockey whose trip to last year's European three day event championships ended in disappointment when he was eliminated for taking the wrong course on the steeplechase, booked his place on the Atlanta shortlist when finishing 13th at the French three star in Saumur this weekend.
Riding the French bred Unisson Collonges, Barry produced an impressive cross country clear and, with just one fence down in yesterday's show jumping, finished on 76.8 penalties, just under 25 points adrift of New Zealand winner Mark Todd on Kayem.
European champion Lucy Thompson, who was lying ninth after the dressage, had to withdraw Nobleman III after the gelding knocked a leg on Friday night, but the horse is already qualified for the Olympics. The Irish suffered another setback when Karen Connolly's Ivanovich, brilliantly clear around Saturday's cross country, had to remain in his stable yesterday after injuring his stifle.
David Foster and Callatrim picked up 20 penalties after glancing off a corner in Saturday's cross country and added another 5.5 in the show jumping to finish 29th. But Army horse Castlepollard, the former show jumper which has been switched to eventing in a bid to get Captain Gerry Flynn to Atlanta, fell early in the course. He went on to complete and was faultless in yesterday's show jumping but, with a cricket score of 215.4, ended the day on 42nd.
Eric Smiley and the consistent grey Enterprise, already shortlisted for Atlanta, were on song at the Guinness two day championships in Tyrells, Co Down yesterday, finishing second in the open intermediate behind the Dollanstown Evening Centre combination of George Mernagh and the The Black Touch.
It was a good weekend for the Kilcock based establishment, which also claimed the other OI section when Caroline Sharp and Just You Wait held off all challengers.
