Cameron Hanley, part of the Ireland show jumping team that won an unprecedented 10 Nations Cups in the 1999/2000 Samsung series, added yet another trophy to his collection when he was presented yesterday with The Irish Field award as leading show jumper of the year.
The Co Mayo-born jockey, who is now based in England with top Irish rider Peter Charles, was on Ireland's winning Cup teams at Helsinki, Drammen, Falsterbo and Hickstead.
The 27-year-old also notched up an impressive individual hat-trick, winning the King George V Gold Cup at Hickstead and the Kerrygold Grand Prix at Dublin on Ballaseyr Twilight - formerly owned by Tommy Wade - before adding the Millstreet indoor Dairygold Grand Prix to his tally with Ballyseyr Leonardo.
Irish Field awards were also presented to world young rider three-day event champion William Clarke, Olympic debutante Patricia Donegan, who led Ireland's three-day event team to fifth place in Sydney, German-based dressage rider Anna Merveldt-Steffens and pony rider Frank O'Neill, winner of the 148cms championship at Dublin and the Verona Grand Prix.
The awards were presented at a special lunch in the Kingswood Country House Hotel outside Dublin yesterday.
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