A pall was cast over the sport of eventing at the weekend with the deaths of two riders while competing.

Days after another stunning success and days before the Irish squad for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) is announced, it’s a case of what will be will be for eventer Aoife Clark.

“Wonderful, wonderful,” was the reaction yesterday of Joseph Murphy following his win with Sportsfield Othello in the feature three-star contest at the Johnson and Perrott Land Rover International Horse Trials at Ballindenisk, Co Cork.