SHANE BREEN yesterday gave Ireland the perfect start at Hickstead ahead of today’s nations cup, taking two of the three international classes.

THE Irish show jumping squad that recently won the German Nations Cup has been selected by manager Robert Splaine for next week’s Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

“SATISFACTORY” is how Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine described his team’s sixth place in yesterday’s Meydan FEI Nations Cup opener in La Baule, France.

IRELAND show jumping manager Robert Splaine says the coming outdoor season will be “tough”, as he tries to balance the demands put on resources by the Meydan FEI Nations Cup Series and September’s Alltech World Equestrian Games.

IRELAND’S show jumpers did enough yesterday to move from the bottom of the Meydan Series, when fifth in the Dutch nations cup at Rotterdam.

It is almost a constant that Irish eventing riders’ dressage performance leaves them at a serious disadvantage in achieving their objective.