Ireland eventing manager Nick Turner believes “there’s a lot to look forward to”, as he announced his squad for September’s European Championships at Blair Castle, Scotland.

Sam Watson is as confident as the capricious sport of eventing will allow that he will give a good account of himself when defending his CIC three-star title at Camphire International Horse Trials this weekend.

Ireland show jumping team manager Robert Splaine was far from defeatist after his team’s disappointing performance in yesterday’s Furusiyya Nations Cup at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

Cian O’Connor is countenancing no suggestion but victory in today’s Furusiyya Series Nations Cup at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

Show jumper Billy Twomey yesterday described himself as "disappointed" after he was replaced by manager Robert Splaine for tomorrow’s crucial nations cup contest at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

Bruce Springsteen turned up at the RDS yesterday, but the Boss didn’t sing a word as the focus of the crowds remained on horses at the opening of the five-day Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring was still in the saddle when he launched the 141st show in the RDS, Dublin, yesterday.

A beaming British show jumping manager Rob Hoekstra declared “we love this trophy” after his team yesterday claimed the famed ‘Aga Khan’ at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

Ireland’s show jumpers made it three wins in two days at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show yesterday, giving team manager Robert Splaine cause to be particularly upbeat ahead of today’s decisive nations cup contest.

“I was only in second gear,” joked Cian O’Connor yesterday after he got Ireland off to a winning start at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show, before Bertram Allen, made it two-in-a-row for the home side in the second international class.

The annual Dublin Horse Show started in unconventional style yesterday with a bang and a bicycle.

The organisers of the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show have put contingency plans in place for those travelling to the event - in light of the Dublin Bus strike.

THE five-day Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show, which opens in Ballsbridge on Wednesday combines world-class jumping, as well as glitz, glamour, shopping and pageantry on a large scale.

Putting her trust in a friend paid off for West Cork-based Justine Fay, who bought a horse, unseen, over the phone that last week capped a great year by winning two championship titles at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

A string of top awards at last week’s Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show pointed to a revival of sport horse breeding in Munster.

Cian O'Connor brought his Olympic bronze medal winning horse Blue Loyd out for this evening's Longines Grand Prix climax to the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show, and took home €30,000 for a third place finish.

“I’m over the moon. It’s fantastic,” said Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine after his team captured the Aga Khan Trophy with aplomb at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show yesterday.

The governing body of equestrian sport in Ireland has said it needs more funding to build on the success of Irish riders at the recent Olympic Games in London and other international competitions.

Ireland show jumping team manager Robert Splaine believes Cian O’Connor’s bronze medal-winning performance in London will be a springboard for greater Olympic success.

Katie Taylor had her Bray bash, John Joe Nevin was feted in Mullingar, while Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan got the red carpet treatment in Belfast.

The weather wasn’t quite stable but it took more than the threat of biblical-style floods to deter Ireland’s equestrian community who braved tumultuous downpours to attend the opening day of the 139th Dublin Horse Show at the RDS in Ballsbridge.

The RDS has attributed a 10.6% increase in entries for next week’s Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show to greater interest in production of Ireland’s indigenous breeds.

It’s a contest that fans of Irish national hunt racing would go a long way to see.

MENTION, as a by the way, that Nicola FitzGibbon is, perhaps, the new pin-up of Irish show jumping, and the head of fair hair is thrown back as she laughs in surprise, if not slight embarrassment.

DENIS LYNCH continues to speed on with Night Train, placing second in yesterday’s 1.50m jump-off class at the Global Champions Tour (GCT) show in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands.

JUST one of the nine A samples taken from horses on the domestic circuit that tested positive for a banned substance has been confirmed by a B sample positive, according to ShowjumpingIreland.

BRITAIN’S Nick Skelton revealed the secret of his jump-off win against Ireland yesterday in a thrilling Nations Cup contest at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show — a pint of Bulmers.

IRELAND lie third in the FEI Nations Cup Series and preparations for a shot at Olympic qualification at next month’s European Championships in Madrid are on target, so, all in all, manager Robert Splaine is entitled to be reasonably satisfied.

ONE of the top equestrian showcases in Europe gets under way today with the official opening of the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show at the RDS in Ballsbridge.