The full Irish quartet that won team gold at the Longines FEI European Championships 2017 in Gothenburg four weeks ago has been selected for the Nations Cup Jumping Final in Barcelona, Spain this week.
Team Manager Rodrigo Pessoa has brought back the winning European team of Denis Lynch, Cian O’Connor, Shane Sweetnam and Bertram Allen to bid for the title, and has added Shane Breen to the squad.
Fifteen qualified countries will line out for the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final at the Real Club de Polo grounds, but only eight will make the cut for Saturday night’s trophy-winning class.
Manager Pessoa, appointed only this year to take over management of the senior Irish show jumping team, said: “This will be our closing Nations Cup of the season and we are putting forward what we believe to be a strong squad. We will be trying to make it through to the final on Saturday. All eyes will be on us fresh from being crowned European Champions and we will be hoping for a good result.”
The Irish riders and horses are:
Bertram Allen – Molly Malone V
Shane Breen – Laith
Cian O’Connor – Good Luck
Denis Lynch – All Star
Shane Sweetnam – Chaqui Z
Pessoa will select his team of four prior to the first qualifier on Thursday.
Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and United States of America will all line out in Thursday’s qualifying competition, with Germany bidding to retain its 2016 title.
Jack Burns
We Live Horse 