Rio Olympics: Battle for places in equestrian squad intensifies

Six athletes representing dressage, eventing and show jumping attended the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games Team Ireland Equestrian media day hosted by Horse Sport Ireland at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown yesterday.

The country has secured seven places for the equestrian competitions at the Games with a team of four due to be selected by eventing high performance manager Nick Turner in June. There are 10 riders (13 horses) currently in the Rio squad.

Qualification for the Games was claimed two years ago during the World Equestrian Games in France. However, all squad riders are expected to compete at four specified events this year before the final selection is made.

Four of these – Clare Abbott, Cathal Daniels, Jonty Evans and Austin O'Connor – finished third in the Nations' Cup at Fontainebleau last month, while all but two of the 10 were in action over the weekend in the CIC3* competition at the Belton international horse trials in England.

Aoife Clark was best placed in fifth with Fernhill Adventure and she finished 19th on her second squad horse, Wasting Light. Oxfordshire-based Clark competed at the 2012 Games in London, where she placed seventh individually on Master Crusoe and was a member of the Irish team in fifth.

Speaking of Fernhill Adventure, Clark said: “I think he’s the best I’ve ridden. He’s a real medal prospect as he doesn’t have a weak link. He has been produced this year with the Olympics very much in mind. Competing at London really kick-started my career.”

Hercules

A native of Westmeath but living in Killyleagh, Co Down, Joseph Murphy was also on the Irish team in London (riding Electric Cruise) and he bids to make this summer's final quartet with Sportsfield Othello or Westwinds Hercules.

“It’s still very early in the year and you have to have your horses right at the right time. My season is very much geared towards the Olympics,” said Murphy who competed at home last weekend, as did Cathal Murphy. The two were members of the Irish team that won gold at the Nations’ Cup last year in Boekelo.

From Co Galway, 19-year-old Daniels was making his senior team debut at the Dutch event following a very successful career at underage level. His partner at Boekelo, and on the squad, is the mare Rioghan Rua, whom he described as “really small but nippy”.

Well-tanned following nearly two weeks competing on the Longines Global Champions Tour in Florida and in Mexico (where he finished third in the €400,000 Grand Prix on Hector van d'Abdijhoeve), Wexford's Bertram Allen secured an individual place for Ireland in show jumping at the Games and is determined that he is the one going to Rio with the mare Molly Malone.

“With the Olympics in mind, Molly was campaigned lightly for the last few weeks,” said Allen. “She was placed in the Grand Prix in Doha and, as I didn’t want to bring her back indoors after that and wasn’t going to take her all the way to Mexico, she has just taken in some smaller shows and will build up again from now.”

Combinations

HSI's show jumping high performance manager Robert Splaine wasn't giving much away as regards his choice for the Rio spot from the "four top" combinations. "I will have to consider past form, good form from now on and then present form in the first week of June," he said.

Ireland hasn’t qualified a team in show jumping, but ahead of this weekend’s Nations’ cup at Lummen, Belgium, Splaine isn’t giving up hope of a qualified nation not fielding a team in Rio. “We’ve never been stronger in my opinion,” Splaine said.

More assured of taking the place she won for Ireland in dressage, Co Kildare-born Judy Reynolds came in from Germany for the launch. She missed out on qualifying for London but has consistently broken Irish records in recent months with Vancouver K.

Co Wicklow’s Helen Kearney did compete at the 2012 Paralympics, winning individual silver and bronze and helping the team take a bronze medal. It was through her Olympic ranking that Ireland has secured a place in Rio. Two weeks ago, riding Rock And Roll 2, Kearney was on the Irish team which placed third in Deauville.