Christmas is all about tradition... and so it is with Cian O’Connor and Olympia.

The recently-formed Irish Event Riders’ Club has “disassociated” itself from its own survey of riders regarding their experiences with the Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) high-performance programme.

Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has sought clarity from the Competition Authority regarding a new Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) ruling that will ban riders, horses and judges for six months if they participate in what the FEI terms “unsanctioned events”.

With just over a month to go on his contract, Robert Splaine received a glowing endorsement from the Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) chief executive yesterday.

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”.

Horse Sport Ireland has announced that the positions of team manager for Ireland's senior show jumping and eventing teams will be advertised shortly.

Ballindenisk will host the European Championships in 2019, if the Fell family ambitions are realised.

A sun-drenched day in Ballindenisk, Co Cork that fell into the halcyon category, yet Sarah Ennis was “not happy”.

Ireland’s eventers realised expectations yesterday when fifth in the Olympics, led by Aoife Clark and Master Crusoe, whose double clear in the show jumping phase elevated her to seventh place in the individual classification.

A battling performance by three members of Ireland’s eventing team could not make up for the elimination of two of their colleagues in yesterday’s cross-country, leaving the team in eighth place overnight.

Eventer Michael Ryan appreciates the Olympics is the pinnacle of sport, but he sees no reason to alter his modus operandi.

Equestrian sport's International Governing Body, the FEI, have confirmed that Ireland will now have a full team of five riders in the three-day eventing at the Olympic Games in London.

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

Ireland is almost certain to have a dressage rider at the Olympics, with Anna Merveldt the likely contender.

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.

I have been at Tattersalls the last couple of days and will be there again today.

Michael Ryan was his usual assured self yesterday after riding Dromgurrihy Blue to equal 10th in the dressage phase of the Irish Field CCI three-star class at Tattersalls International Horse Trials.

Eventing rider Sam Watson pulled off a stunning recovery to finish eighth in the three-star at Saumur, France, yesterday.

Twenty minutes after his dressage test in Saumur yesterday, Sam Watson was candid in his summing up: “It was awful.”

Ireland has won places for 13 horses and 11 riders in Badminton Horse Trials, something eventing high-performance coach Ginny Elliot yesterday described as “fantastic”.

Horse Sport Ireland chairman Joe Walsh has warned against a repeat of the controversies that “tarnished” Irish show jumping in the last two Olympics.

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.

NEXT MONTH’S Ballindenisk Horse Trials has attracted a stellar line-up, according to the organisers.

AS Ireland’s eventing riders go through an intensive training period in a final push to secure a team place in the Olympics, rider Michael Ryan noted how the vagaries of the sport impacted on him and his wife four years ago.

SHOW jumper Denis Lynch has risen to second in the Rolex World Cup league table following his fifth place with Abbervail van het Dingeshof in Mechelen, Belgium, yesterday.

IRELAND will contest this year’s Meydan Nations Cup Series, despite a 60% cut in funding by its affiliate, ShowjumpingIreland, coupled with a reduction in the Irish Sports Council contribution to high performance.

IRELAND’S bid for eventing glory at the Alltech World Equestrian Games in Kentucky got off to a disappointing start yesterday.

MARK KYLE and Step In Time will lead off Ireland’s challenge today as the eventing competition begins at the Alltech World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

CAPTAIN GEOFF CURRAN and eventing high performance manager Ginny Elliot are confident the Army officer’s mount, The Jump Jet, will be fighting fit for the Alltech World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

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.

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.

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

FOUR jumping clears from Ireland’s eventers in yesterday’s cross-country phase at Hong Kong moved them up two places to eighth in the 11-country competition.

IRELAND’S eventing high performance coach Ginny Elliot put a brave face on Ireland’s Olympic prospects after the team finished the dressage phase 10th of 11 teams in Hong Kong.

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.

JESSICA KÜRTEN yesterday filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the two-month suspension imposed by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) as a result of the banned medication found in the horse Castle Forbes Maike.

Horse Sport Ireland has today informed the Olympic Council of Ireland and the FEI that they intend to send a three day eventing team (five riders) to the Olympic Games in Hong Kong this August.

IRELAND’S joint second place in the opening leg of the Samsung Super League was as good as could be hoped for, but the fact it was shared with Switzerland and the US dented the value of the performance in terms of points gained.

Horse Sport Ireland is delighted to confirm that the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale) has today allotted Ireland a maximum of five places in Three Day Eventing for the 2008 Olympics at Hong Kong.

THE likelihood of Ireland being represented in eventing at this year’s Olympics has received a boost, with Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) opting to fully support riders if they should qualify.