Rob Gandola, senior science officer with the Herpetological Society of Ireland (HSI) has told of the importance of having a common toad in captivity to determine their impact on native wildlife populations.

The United States is seeking to extradite a young Irish man accused of being part of a hacking group known as “The Community” involved in alleged financial fraud and identity theft.

A woman whose humanist marriage was described as "mumbo-jumbo" and "away with the fairies" by a district court judge has had her four-month jail term lifted on appeal.

A decision to cancel one of the major annual horse sports events in Waterford has been reversed after problems relating funding the event were overcome.

Next year’s World Equestrian Games (WEG) have taken on a new perspective for Ireland’s show jumpers following their recent European Championships victory in Gothenburg, Sweden, team member Cian O’Connor said yesterday.

Thousands of people will make a beeline for the country’s largest one-day rural show in Tullamore, Co Offaly, on Sunday.

A liaison group for top-ranked show jumpers has been established following a meeting last Monday.

Ireland’s elite show jumpers are to gather in Dublin next month to formulate a strategy for championship success in what Darragh Kenny has described as a “hugely positive” development.

Kevin Thornton is confident an autopsy on the horse Flogas Sunset Cruise will exonerate him of any wrongdoing.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has not deviated from its assertion that MHS Going Global is eligible for the Olympics, and it is hopeful that it has “clarified” a query from the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) regarding the ownership of the horse ridden by Greg Broderick.

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) yesterday listed Greg Broderick and MHS Going Global among the nominations for Ireland’s sole show jumping slot at the Olympics, but it is examining the horse’s eligibility amid speculation it may not comply with a rule on ownership.

Horse Sport Ireland last night rubbished speculation that the show jumping horse MHS Going Global is ineligible to represent Ireland in the Olympics.

Greg Broderick acknowledged he was “hopeful more than confident” ahead of his surprise nomination yesterday as Ireland’s sole show jumper at the Olympics with MHS Going Global.

An audit of Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has found no evidence to support a claim by Millstreet equestrian centre of “an abuse or a misuse of public funds”.

Sport Ireland admitted this week that the Deloitte audit of Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) had raised some issues, but it suggested that this was not out of the ordinary.

Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine underwent surgery for a broken wrist this week, but Taylor Vard, his stand in for tomorrow’s Furusiyya Series nations cup in Ocala, Florida, is upbeat about sending him a nice get-well present.

Shane Sweetnam got “two new toys” for Christmas, Buckle Up and Cobolt, but when it comes to fun, Chaqui Z remains the top plaything.

Horse Sport Ireland has not ruled out taking the case involving Cian O’Connor to the Swiss federal courts.

Cian O’Connor was tight-lipped last night as he flew out of Lausanne, Switzerland, following his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a bid to secure a place for the Irish show jumping team in next year’s Olympics.

Dermott Lennon placed second in the World Cup qualifier in Toronto, Canada, a fortnight ago with Loughview Lou Lou.

A strategic review of the infrastructure governing the equine sector is to be undertaken, with the Department of Agriculture issuing a tender shortly.

Cian O’Connor had good reason to describe Good Luck as one of the “most talented” horses in the world after he and the gelding delivered one of only seven clear rounds in the €1.5m Furusiyya Nations Cup Final on Saturday.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the debacle at last month’s European Championships that saw Cian O’Connor impeded in his round and Ireland denied a place in next year’s Olympics.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is confident it has a “valid” case as it prepares to file an appeal to the Federation Equestre International (FEI) Tribunal by today regarding the debacle at the European Championships that saw Cian O’Connor impeded in his round and Ireland denied a place in next year’s Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ruled out any chance of an extra place being created for Ireland in the show jumping competition at next year’s Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The director of show jumping for the Federation Equestre International, Capt John Roche, says he has no memory in his almost three decades with the organisation of a ground jury waiving faults accrued by a rider in a situation similar to that experienced by Cian O’Connor last Friday, writes John Tynan.

Show jumper Cian O’Connor yesterday declared that “the Olympic dream ain’t over yet, by any means”.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is to “exhaust every possible avenue of appeal” after its protest over interference by a steward to Cian O’Connor’s round in the European Show Jumping Championships was last night rejected.

Cian O’Connor was confident last night that Ireland’s show jumping team can battle back in the European Championships today in Aachen, Germany, to secure Olympic qualification.

Kudos is due Horse Sport Ireland for securing Investec as the first corporate sponsor of the Irish show jumping team.

It may be over 20 years since Billy Twomey last competed in his native Cork city, but he had no problems recalling it yesterday, considering he won a puissance on a horse called Larry Hagman.

Show jumping is to be staged at three greyhound stadia this summer.

It was obvious that Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney was earnest when he promised the support of Government for Reaching New Heights, says John Tynan.