An Irish record Grand Prix score of 76.351% by Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K hauled Ireland across the line to secure a first-ever Olympic team place in dressage at the European Championships in Rotterdam yesterday.

The Irish Dressage team have qualified for an Olympic Games for the first time ever.

Five days from today Ireland’s dressage team will commence their bid for honours and a possible Tokyo 2020 place when the European Championships get under way in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. The Championships feature Dressage, Show Jumping and Para-Dressage, and it will be the dressage competition that gets the whole affair underway on Monday.

New Zealander Tim Price has topped the latest FEI world eventing rankings just days after winning the George Mernagh Memorial CCI4*-S at Tattersalls International Horse Trials in Co Meath, while Ireland’s Elizabeth Power has made a significant climb following her fourth-place finish in the Irish Field CCI4*-L at the same meeting.

Ireland grabs its share of international attention this week with Tattersalls International Horse Trials getting underway in Co. Meath today and Mullingar hosting its two-star international show jumping meeting over the Bank Holiday weekend.

All eyes are on Gorthenburg this week as the Swedish city hosts the annual FEI World Cup Finals in both show jumping and dressage.

The world governing body of equestrian sport, the FEI, says that there has been strong interest in the bidding process to stage the 2022 World Championships, with a global spread of potential hosts across four continents which includes venues in 20 different countries.

The past weekend was a good one for Irish dressage.

This weekend should see Ireland’s Judy Reynolds secure a place at the 2018/2019 FEI Dressage World Cup final, which takes place in Gothenburg, Sweden in April.

Qatar stays in focus this week with a second successive five-star fixture in Doha following on from last weekend’s opening round of the Global Champions Tour.

The year is getting off to a familiar start for Irish riders based in the US as the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) commences in Wellington, Florida today and continues for three months.

Dressage rider Judy Reynolds made her first appearance in this year’s FEI World Cup qualifying series in Mechelen, Belgium at the weekend with Vancouver K where she finished in fifth place, but yesterday the Germany-based Kildare rider maintained that her focus for the year ahead is aimed beyond the annual championship and fixed on getting to Tokyo 2020.

After a two-week break, the FEI World Cup series resumes this weekend with both dressage and show jumping rounds taking place in Stuttgart in Germany.

A flawless cross-country performance on Saturday has the Irish eventing team holding the silver-medal position going into today's show jumping decider at the world championships in Tryon, North Carolina.

The opening ceremony for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) took place last night in Tryon, North Carolina and the first of thirteen days of action gets underway today. Endurance, Reining and Dressage are the disciplines kicking things off and Ireland is represented in all three.

The annual German equestrian festival at Aachen takes centre stage this week with Ireland contesting the showjumping nations cup and dressage rider Judy Reynolds making a long-awaited return to action with her Olympic horse Vancouver K.

The recent cold snap afflicting the US has lifted just in time for the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) which begins today at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida. 

Padraig McCarthy was on the Irish team that scored an historic win in Boekelo last year and, while he feels a repeat could not be dismissed this weekend, he said the ground conditions at the Dutch fixture could make for a different scenario.

“I know there is room for improvement and I am confident I can achieve it.”

Day Seven of the Olympic Games produced even more history from an Irish point of view, with the medals table reached finally at the end of the opening week.

Ireland’s sole dressage rider at the Olympics, Judy Reynolds, said she “couldn’t have asked any more” of her horse Vancouver K after she achieved her immediate goal of qualifying for today’s second round.

Ireland’s sole dressage competitor Judy Reynolds opens her Olympic challenge this morning upbeat and with the attitude “anything can happen”.

Jonty Evans stole the show again yesterday in terms of the Irish eventing team, producing a double clear on Cooley Rorkes Drift to finish ninth in the individual classification.

Your one-stop guide to all the Olympic action featuring Irish athletes.

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) yesterday listed Greg Broderick and MHS Going Global among the nominations for Ireland’s sole show jumping slot at the Olympics, but it is examining the horse’s eligibility amid speculation it may not comply with a rule on ownership.

Having not competed at the top level since last year, Greg Broderick and MHS Going Global laid down a late marker for Olympic selection yesterday, producing a double clear to help Ireland win the Furusiyya Series nations cup in a rain-soaked St Gallen, Switzerland.

Show jumper Cian O’Connor boosted his Olympic aspirations when runner-up in the Million Dollar Grand Prix in Ocala, Florida, last night.

Dressage rider Judy Reynolds is breaking new ground this weekend as the first Irish rider to line out in a World Cup final and her aim is to replicate the performances that have seen her greatly improve Ireland’s reputation in the sport.

Bertram Allen yesterday said he believes the fact he won Ireland’s single show jumping slot in the Olympics must have a significant bearing when it comes to selecting who will actually line out in the Games.

Cian O’Connor continued to demonstrate the Olympic credentials of Good Luck on Saturday, the pair finishing fourth in the five-star grand prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida.

Greg Broderick feels the current form of MHS Automatic justifies him being favourite to lift The Underwriting Exchange Grand Prix at tonight’s final of the Jumping In The City Series at Shelbourne Park.

Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine was in no mood yesterday for predictions regarding today’s Furusiyya Nations Cup Series opener in Lummen, Belgium, writes John Tynan.

Kevin Babington rounded off a brilliant weekend for Irish show jumping when second in the $150,000 Ocala Grand Prix in Florida, last night.

ShowjumpingIreland (SJI) has negotiated insurance cover that will see no increase in its premium, according to chairman Tony Hurley.