Junior Sports Minister Michael Ring has hailed showjumper Cian O'Connor's "superlative display" as he won Ireland’s first Olympic medal with a bronze.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is awaiting confirmation that it can field a five-strong eventing squad at the Olympics.

Showjumping star Jessica Kurten today scooped the Sportswoman of the Month award for January.

Show jumper Billy Twomey’s fourth place in the World Cup qualifier at Leipzig, Germany, has propelled him to the top of the Olympic rankings, according to Horse Sport Ireland, while Jessica Kürten posted her first major grand prix win in over a year in Amsterdam.

SHOW JUMPERS Shane Breen and Marie Burke completed an Irish double at the Longines Royal International Horse Show in Hickstead at the weekend.

Ireland's Jessica Kurten was one of 14 riders through to the jump-off in tonight's Grand Prix at the World Cup show in Vigo, Spain, but one mistake kept her out of the top 10 at the finish.

“IT was a close one!”

MARIE BURKE, riding Chippison, proved an able replacement for Cian O’Connor yesterday when best of the Irish on the opening day of show jumping at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.

JESSICA KÜRTEN jumped four flawless rounds yesterday to win the Dubai Masters at the Al Maktoum Memorial Challenge and give herself the perfect fillip ahead of today’s cash-rich grand prix.

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.