It wouldn’t come as a big surprise to find that Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine is putting the controversy over Denis Lynch behind him, and he would be forgiven for, briefly, taking his focus off the Olympics today, as he aims to engineer a get-out-of-jail performance in Hickstead.

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

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.

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

A largely rookie Irish team swept all before them at the Finnish Nations Cup in Ypaja this afternoon to claim the trophy on an aggregate score of just five faults over two rounds.

JESSICA KÜRTEN emerged this week as the number two ranked show jumper in the world. No mean feat, it came as little surprise following her string of wins against the sport’s elite, including victory in the Dubai Grand Prix, the world’s richest show jumping contest.

MILLSTREET Horse Show is the essence of all that is good in show jumping.

“HE felt as good as ever,” were the words of Conor Swail yesterday after he won the Dairygold Grand Prix at Millstreet on Windgates King Koal, a horse lucky to be alive.