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.

Tipperary rider Trevor Breen won the Hickstead Derby for the second year in a row yesterday, describing it as “surreal”, after posting the only clear round from 37 starters.

After seven years making sometimes difficult decisions, Robert Splaine is realistic to know his reappointment as Ireland show jumping manager may not be greeted with unanimous acclaim.

The board of Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) yesterday ratified Professor Patrick Wall as its new chairman.

Eddie Macken has withdrawn from the running to be manager of the Irish show jumping team, saying Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has “serious issues of deficiency to address before it puts winning teams into international competition”.

Want an investment for 2013? Try Hickstead Derby champion Paul Beecher, writes John Tynan

Commandment John Ledingham has given a qualified expression of interest to becoming Ireland’s next show jumping team manager, James Kernan is in no doubt that he would like the role, while Jack Doyle has said he would “give consideration to it”.

Cian O’Connor will give Blue Loyd his first international outing since the Dublin Horse Show when he travels to Caen, France, next week.

Paul Beecher yesterday claimed the famous Hickstead Derby for only the 13th time for Ireland in its 52-year history.

WITH little enough to keep us going at all these days, weeks like the one Rory McIlroy and Conor Niland gave us mean all the more. But even in better times, the life-affirming rallies known as Irish sporting bandwagons have been good to us.

WITH €475,000 on offer in tomorrow night’s Global Champions Tour opener in Doha, riders will not be lacking in incentive.

CIAN O’CONNOR gave himself an early Christmas present yesterday, winning the Welcome Stakes on the first day of the London International Horse Show in Olympia.

Ireland's Cian O'Connor won today's opening competition at London Olympia's five-star show, just as he had won the closing competition of 2009 at the same venue.

EDDIE MACKEN was yesterday disqualified from all competitions at the 2008 Dublin Horse Show, having been found guilty by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) tribunal of failing “without compelling justification” to submit the mare Tedechine Sept to sample blood/urine collection.

SHOW JUMPER Eddie Macken yesterday rejected he had a case to answer after the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) accused him of breaching anti-doping and medication control regulations at last year’s Dublin Horse Show.

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese is donating a number of ball gowns to a charity auction. This alerted me to the prospect of life after her presidency when it ends in 2011.

AN ancient Chinese theory that the number 8 is lucky didn’t totally hold out for the brave Irish in the Aga Khan Trophy which Britain won at the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show yesterday.

There was huge disappointment for Ireland’s show jumpers at finishing second in yesterday’s nations cup at the Fáilte Dublin Horse Show.

A GLAMOROUS 18-year-old whose ambition is to become a fashion model sashayed away from the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show last evening with the first prize worth €10,000 as overall winner of the Evian Ladies Day fashion showpiece.

IRELAND’S show jumpers were in the frame yesterday on the opening day of the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show and, while victory eluded them, it provided optimism ahead of tomorrow’s Samsung Super League nations cup.

MEMORIES of past glories came alive at the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show yesterday as Eddie Macken returned as a competitor to the scene of some of his greatest triumphs.

If first impressions count, the Hong Kong Jockey Club is off to a good start as far as Olympic event rider Captain Geoff Curran is concerned.

Eddie Macken returns to the Irish showjumping team after a decade's absence for the Samsung Super League round at Hickstead in England next month.

Jessica Kurten upped her status as favourite to capture the 2008 World Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden, when she streaked home to win tonight's second competition in the weekend series.

JESSICA KÜRTEN got her World Cup challenge off to a good start last night when third in the opening competition in Gothenburg, Sweden.

FORMER Clare hurler, Tony Griffin, yesterday began a cycling odyssey across Canada and Ireland to raise more than €1 million for cancer research.

SHOW JUMPER Denis Lynch is experiencing mixed emotions.

THE Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI) could impose further sanctions on the Show Jumping Association of Ireland (SJAI) if it refuses to agree to the demands of a document presented to the SJAI last Friday.

THE formal ratification of Robert Splaine as chef d’equipe to the senior show jumping team may not take place until January, as the Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI) has not scheduled an executive meeting until the New Year.

A FULL-TIME chef d’équipe for the senior Irish show jumping team is expected to be appointed this month.

THE Show Jumping Association of Ireland (SJAI) will take the first step in the review of the selection process for senior nations cup teams by holding a meeting on October 10.

CIAN O'CONNOR offered to withdraw his name for selection for the last two Samsung Super League Nations Cup competitions this year in a bid to restore some harmony to Irish showjumping.

John Tynan

CHASING rumours that swept the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show yesterday that US interests had offered €1 million for an Irish-bred horse used up a lot of energy.

DUBLINER Michael Stone yesterday said he hopes to replace Bo Helander as head of the Federation Internationale Equestre (FEI).

HARRY MARSHALL yesterday said his forthcoming disciplinary hearing will not prove a distraction as he lines out in today’s Samsung Super League opener in La Baule, France.

PERHAPS it was an early celebration ahead of St Patrick’s Day, but Ireland’s show jumpers ensured Florida was green last Sunday when winning the first Samsung Nations Cup of the season.

IRELAND'S show jumping chef d'equipe designate Eddie Macken answered his detractors in emphatic fashion at the weekend as he led a makeshift team to victory in the Nations Cup at Wellington, Florida.

THE Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI) yesterday transferred international team selection back to the Show Jumping Association of Ireland (SJAI).

IT is understood that Eddie Macken was appointed the chef d’equipe of the Irish show jumping team last night.

THE Show Jumping Association of Ireland is set to announce the appointment of a chief executive officer next Wednesday.

THE Show Jumping Association of Ireland (SJAI) plans to set up a stewarding system at shows to “deter any misdemeanours which may cast a slur upon the sport”.

SHOW Jumping Association of Ireland (SJAI) Chairman Charles Hanley has denied that a purge is taking place in the association, following a number of surprise resignations.