A freak mudslide and flood hit one town as the rest of the country enjoyed summery sunshine.

Residents have described the chilling moments when a river of mud and water swept through their town flooding homes and businesses.

Ireland eventing manager Nick Turner conceded he “had to make a few difficult phonecalls in the last few days” as he finalised his squad for next month’s European Championships.

IMAGINE being gifted the royalties of the world’s longest running play on your ninth birthday.

Kildare rider Aoife Clark’s rise up the leaderboard at the Badminton Horse Trials saw her finish in eighth place yesterday.

Aoife Clark and Master Crusoe added just 0.8 time penalties on the cross-country at Badminton Horse Trials yesterday, rising four places to 12th.

It could be argued that Sam Watson’s single-mindedness at Ballindenisk last week cost him a shot at the €50,000 bonus on offer next September.

A shortlist of 10 riders and 11 horses has been put together for Olympic consideration by Team Ireland Equestrian’s eventing high performance manager Ginny Elliot.

Ireland eventing high performance manager Ginny Elliot yesterday stressed the importance of Barbury Horse Trials as she makes her final deliberations regarding her Olympic selection.

What proved a special weekend at Ballindenisk is set to be given the Olympic seal today when the FEI publishes the list of individual riders who have qualified for London.

Irish eventing was last night on course to have a team at the Olympics, after riders rose to the challenge in the Goresbridge Go For Gold International Horse Trials at Ballindenisk, Co Cork.

NOBLE PRINCE is none the worse for his fall in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

JESSICA KÜRTEN has handed over the five horses owned by Georgina Forbes, with speculation mounting that Frenchman Roger-Yves Bost will be the new rider.

YOUNG rider Gerard Clarke continued his barnstorming run in the HSI Chippison Spring Tour in Barnadown, Co Wexford.

IRELAND’S show jumpers finished in equal fifth place yesterday in a closely-fought nations cup at Gijon, Spain.

HORSE SPORT Ireland (HSI) has opted to send the full complement of six horses to compete in the eventing competition of the Alltech World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA.

DENIS LYNCH, Cian O’Connor and Billy Twomey were yesterday named by Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine to be part of his squad for the Alltech World Equestrian Games, which begin next month.

CORK eventing rider Patricia Ryan was yesterday named on the team for the European Championships, which begin today in Fontainebleau, France, while her husband Michael will contest as an individual.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has named the Irish squad for the European Eventing Championships in Fontainebleau, France.

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.

A serial sex offender who anally raped a woman in the ladies toilet of a Nenagh fast food shop two years ago has been jailed for life by Mr Justice Paul Carney.

DERMOTT LENNON, who became Ireland’s first ever world show jumping champion in Spain last September, was yesterday awarded The Irish Field award as leading show jumper of 2002.