Last Friday, the Ukrainian show jumping team contested a Tokyo 2020 qualifier in Budapest and amassed a total of 41 faults.

New Zealander Tim Price has topped the latest FEI world eventing rankings just days after winning the George Mernagh Memorial CCI4*-S at Tattersalls International Horse Trials in Co Meath, while Ireland’s Elizabeth Power has made a significant climb following her fourth-place finish in the Irish Field CCI4*-L at the same meeting.

Ireland grabs its share of international attention this week with Tattersalls International Horse Trials getting underway in Co. Meath today and Mullingar hosting its two-star international show jumping meeting over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Bertram Allen returns to the scene of a memorable victory this weekend as he lines out in Bordeaux at the final showjumping qualifier in the European division of the 2018/2019 FEI World Cup series.

The year is getting off to a familiar start for Irish riders based in the US as the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) commences in Wellington, Florida today and continues for three months.

Ireland’s Bertram Allen makes his first FEI World Cup appearance of the 2018/2019 season in what is the third round of the series in Verona, Italy this weekend.

Irish show jumper Cian O’Connor has been elected to represent the world’s show jumpers on the Jumping Committee of the FEI, equestrian sport’s world governing body, it was announced this week.

The Irish eventing team kept their nerve to hold onto the silver medal on the final day of the eventing competition at the World Equestrian Games in North Carolina yesterday where Pádraig McCarthy added to the Irish haul by claiming silver in the individual competition.

The opening ceremony for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) took place last night in Tryon, North Carolina and the first of thirteen days of action gets underway today. Endurance, Reining and Dressage are the disciplines kicking things off and Ireland is represented in all three.

With equestrian sport’s world championships, the World Equestrian Games, less than three months away, Irish eventing was boosted at the weekend by a number of stellar performances at the four-star German meeting at Luhmühlen.

Bertram Allen and Michael G Duffy will carry Irish hopes in Rome at this weekend’s Italian nations cup, with the country not represented in the team event.

Paul Kennedy is in line for his biggest team challenge to date when Ireland take on seven opponents in Friday’s important Division 1 Nations Cup of Italy in Rome.

Ireland eventing manager Nick Turner was not dissatisfied to see his team finish runner-up to the British again in the nations cup at Ballindenisk International Horse Trials yesterday, suggesting it was a realistic result.

Dressage rider Judy Reynolds is breaking new ground this weekend as the first Irish rider to line out in a World Cup final and her aim is to replicate the performances that have seen her greatly improve Ireland’s reputation in the sport.

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.

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.

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.

Eventer Sarah Ennis yesterday highlighted the leading role played by show jumping coach Ian Fearon in Ireland achieving Olympic qualification at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) at the weekend.

Shane Sweetnam may have offloaded his top ride last year, but that does not mean he is ready to relinquish his position as a stalwart of the Irish team.

Irish eventing celebrated yesterday when Aoife Clark became the first rider from this country to take the feature class at Blenheim, England, while the junior rider team took gold in the European Championships, along with bronze for the young rider team.

The impending change of chairman at Horse Sport Ireland has impacted on the second round of interviews for the Irish show jumping manager’s job.

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.

Nobody, with due respect to dressage rider Anna Merveldt, would expect her to win a medal in the Olympics... least of all herself.