A single error in the opening round kept Denis Lynch out of the battle for the €400,000 on offer in Saturday’s Global Champions Tour grand prix final in Abu Dhabi.

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.

Show jumper Shane Sweetnam just missed out on a €50,000 bonus when winning the puissance class at the nations cup show in Rome on Saturday.

Ireland finished last in yesterday’s Italian Nations Cup in Rome yesterday, having been severely hampered by the elimination of Niall Talbot and Nicos de la Cense in the opening round.

The temperature in Rome was high yesterday, matched by the spirit in the Irish camp, if Billy Twomey is any sort of barometer.

The FEI Nations Cup Series begins today in La Baule, France, and, important as it is, it will play second fiddle to the Olympics.

THE market for Irish horses in China is full of potential, Horse Sport Ireland chief executive Damian McDonald said yesterday, but he acknowledged a number of obstacles needed to be overcome.

Show jumpers buying into possible Olympic participation will be struck by Horse Sport Ireland’s selection criteria: Terms and conditions apply.

Denis Lynch has sealed Ireland's first win at this weekend's World Cup show in Zurich, in tonight's speed class.

SHOW JUMPER Denis Lynch is practically assured of a place in the Rolex World Cup final after finishing ninth in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.

THE fourth leg of the Rolex World Cup in Verona, Italy, was halted yesterday following the sudden death of the stallion Hickstead in the arena.

SHANE SWEETNAM is not discounting Ireland nabbing a medal at this month’s European Show Jumping Championships, but said everything would have to go the team’s way.

IRELAND’S eventers will be hoping a good performance in today’s cross-country will push them up the leaderboard at the European Championships in Luhmühlen, Germany, having finished a poor eighth of 10 countries after the dressage phase.

IRELAND can win the FEI Nations Cup Series at next week’s final leg in Rotterdam, but manager Robert Splaine has opted for a squad that shows his main focus remains next month’s European Championships.

NO surprise that Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine regrets the loss of K Club Lady and Temple Road, who have both been sold to Ukranian gas magnate Alexander Onishchenko.

AN Italian job is not beyond the bounds of possibility in the second leg of the FEI Nations Cup League next week, according to Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine, who has nominated the same quartet that won last weekend’s French Nations Cup in his Rome squad.

It was three-in-a-row for Ireland at the Failte Ireland Dublin Horse Show today with Billy Twomey and Shane Breen taking outright victory in the first two classes and Cian O'Connor sharing victory in the Puissance.

“SATISFACTORY” is how Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine described his team’s sixth place in yesterday’s Meydan FEI Nations Cup opener in La Baule, France.

IRELAND show jumping manager Robert Splaine says the coming outdoor season will be “tough”, as he tries to balance the demands put on resources by the Meydan FEI Nations Cup Series and September’s Alltech World Equestrian Games.

JESSICA KÜRTEN justified her favourite’s tag yesterday when she won the €130,000 Longines Grand Prix at the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

Jessica Kurten made her visit to the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show more than worthwhile today when she scooped the €42,000 first prize in the Longines Grand Prix with Lady Georgina Forbes's mare Castle Forbes Libertina.

Horse Sport Ireland show jumping team Manager Robert Splaine has announced his squad of five riders for round four of the Super League in Rotterdam on Friday.

A DOUBLE clear from Niall Talbot proved pivotal yesterday as Ireland finished third in the nations cup in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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.

DESPITE racking up 41 faults, Ireland’s show jumpers placed second to France in the nations cup at Zagreb yesterday.

THE IRISH show jumping squad will this afternoon attempt to increase their lead in the 2007 FEI Nations' Cup League when they compete against 12 other teams for the Zagreb Nations' Cup in Croatia.

Tyrone's Peter Smyth scored the first Irish win of the weekend at Arezzo, Italy today when taking the top spot in the Bronze/Silver Tour 1m30 jump-off competition.

IRELAND’S showjumping strength in depth was evident last weekend in Florida when a team riding borrowed horses was pipped by America’s top riders in a nations cup.