Five-strong Olympic eventing squad on cards

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is awaiting confirmation that it can field a five-strong eventing squad at the Olympics.

Riders had already secured three places through individual performances, but also held first and third in the reserve list.

However, Argentina’s chances of a fielding a team ended with the elimination of Jose Ortelli at Luhmühlen, Germany, at the weekend, opening up three slots for reserve riders.

HSI declined to comment until they received official confirmation, but high-performance manager Ginny Elliot yesterday praised the riders.

“The riders have worked jolly hard and gone to competitions in many countries to gain points and they deserve to have five places at the Olympics,” she said.

“Obviously, with five riders, it is a massive difference... and it gives us an equal chance to compete with the best in the world as far as the team competition is concerned. It’s great news for the riders, owners, sponsors and it augurs well.”

Elliot has nominated a short-list of 10 to line out in Barbury, England, at the end of the month, and she will announce her Olympic selection on July 2.

Meanwhile, Meath 21-year-old Natalya Coyle has become the first Irish athlete to qualify for the Olympics in modern pentathlon, which involves riding, fencing, shooting, running and swimming.

In Hagen, Germany, Ireland had a double of show jumping grand prix wins, with 16-year-old Bertram Allen claiming the junior class, and Paraic Kenny (Grey Ross) best in the pony competition.

Wexford native Allen, who has relocated to the former yard of show jumper Jessica Kürten in Westphalia, Germany, saw off 10 rivals in the jump-off with Wild Thing L, which he co-owns with his trainer, Cork show jumper Billy Twomey. Allen, the 2010 European pony gold medallist, has high hopes of making the Irish selection for the Junior European Championships in August.

Twomey, meanwhile, failed to match his student’s success in Saturday’s Global Champions Tour contest in Cannes, France. The Nottinghamshire-based rider jumped an opening-round clear with Tinka’s Serenade, but his challenge ended next time out on eight faults. Denis Lynch (Lantinus) and Mark McAuley (Par Trois) each put up 12 faults with their opening efforts in a class that saw Dutchman Gerco Schröder (Eurocommerce London) come out best in a three-horse, third-round jump-off.

At Galway County Show, Alexander Butler and Riverside Ace had over a second to spare in winning the TRM National Grand Prix League contest.