One of Ireland’s foremost show jumpers, Cameron Hanley, has lost the ride on almost all of his top horses.

Equestrian: Lady luck is capricious, as show jumper Cameron Hanley will attest.

With around 3,000 entries for this weekend’s Owners Pony and Young Riders Charity Show, in Millstreet, Co Cork, organisers expect the total funding raised for good causes to top €280,000.

Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine spoke yesterday of "sacrifices" made in preparation for the Alltech World Equestrian Games, but they counted for nought as the team failed to secure a place in the Rio Olympics.

Irish show jumping manager Robert Splaine remains hopeful of bagging a place at the Rio Olympics with a top-five finish today at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.

Irish teenager Bertram Allen declared himself "surprised" to be in pole position after the first day of the show jumping contest at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.

The first Irish equines exported to China under a ground-breaking protocol signed last July arrived last Monday.

Living The Dream lived up to its name yesterday for Mayo show jumper Alex Duffy, the pairing finishing third in a competitive grand prix in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Next year’s European Pony Championships will be held in Millstreet, Co Cork, two weeks later than envisaged.

“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 rising star of Irish show jumping, Bertram Allen, shone brightly again yesterday when taking the individual silver medal at the Junior European Show Jumping Championships in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain.