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.

Bertram Allen returns to the scene of a memorable victory this weekend as he lines out in Bordeaux at the final showjumping qualifier in the European division of the 2018/2019 FEI World Cup series.

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.

It was one of the most bitter and brilliant rivalries in the annals of Irish athletics, and 10 years on from its apex, the feelings still linger for David Campbell and Thomas Chamney. From selection scandals to doping dilemmas, dream races to nightmare injuries, they now open up to Cathal Dennehy about what brought their careers together — and ultimately drove them apart.

Ireland’s Bertram Allen makes his first FEI World Cup appearance of the 2018/2019 season in what is the third round of the series in Verona, Italy this weekend.

The new dates are Metallica’s first in the UK and Europe since the September 2017 to May 2018 indoor run that broke attendance records in 29 venues across the continent.

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.

Scott Jamieson and Paul Waring share the halfway lead in the Nordea Masters as Thorbjorn Olesen maintained his challenge for a Ryder Cup qualifying place in Gothenburg.

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.

Met Eireann said early this week grass growth was practical non-existent, and the potato crop could only survive with the intervention of artificial watering.

Last Sunday’s nations cup in Rotterdam did not involve the Irish team but the result will have a bearing on the country’s league standing up to and including the Aga Khan contest at Dublin Horse Show which is now just over six weeks away.

As one offshore classic race draws to a close this week, another major race is drawing a near record fleet together closer to home, while at the same time, the Volvo Ocean Race will be decided this weekend in The Netherlands, writes David Branigan

A scintillating goal from Neymar drew him level with Romario in Brazil’s all-time top scorers list as they cruised to a 3-0 win against Austria yesterday.

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. 

Last weekend’s RTÉ Team Of The Year accolade for Ireland’s show jumpers may have crowned a memorable 2017 for equestrian sport in this country, but we’re not quite done for the year yet.

Three people who allegedly threw firebombs at a synagogue in Gothenburg have been arrested, as Jewish groups condemned the attack and demanded authorities take action.

Comedians tend to worry a lot about the ‘too soon’ moment, that minefield of a border between the darkly funny and the wincingly crass.

The European Union is reportedly threatening to hold back Britain's final €5.6bn rebate payment from Brussels as part of negotiations over the so-called Brexit "divorce" bill.

The Fine Gael TD abused online by colleague Barry Walsh has welcomed his resignation from the party’s national executive council after a damning 48-hour public backlash.

The prime ministers of Spain and Belgium have held talks over their testy bilateral relations as ousted Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and four secessionist allies prepare for an extradition court appearance in Brussels.

Theresa May said she hoped the European Union would respond "positively" to her approach to Brexit as senior Brussels figures warned trade talks may not be given the green light in December.

Next year’s World Equestrian Games (WEG) have taken on a new perspective for Ireland’s show jumpers following their recent European Championships victory in Gothenburg, Sweden, team member Cian O’Connor said yesterday.

Ireland has won a medal at the European Show Jumping Championships in Sweden.

This Friday sees the Irish senior show jumping team in action at Hickstead for what will be their last competitive nations cup engagement before Dublin Horse Show. 

4/5

MCD supremo Denis Desmond dashed the hopes of Coldplay fans yesterday by confirming there will be no second gig by the band in Dublin next summer.

Since March of this year, the A Head Full Of Dreams Tour has played to 2.5 million people across Latin America, the US and Europe, including four sold-out nights at London’s Wembley Stadium.

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

Peter Dowdall looks at Alstromerias and how you can use it to add colour to your beds and borders.

A British schoolboy killed in a grenade blast at an apartment in Sweden had just celebrated his eighth birthday, his grieving father has said.

Arsenal’s defensive crisis worsened in Sweden as centre-half Gabriel was stretchered off late in the 3-2 win over Manchester City with what appeared a serious leg injury.

Cork City’s European campaign can now be called an odyssey.

Cork City manager John Caulfield has called for patience from his team and the club’s supporters ahead of tonight’s Europa League second qualifying round second leg against BK Hacken at Turner’s Cross (7.45pm).

It might not have been rock bottom for Henrik Stenson as he packed his bags on a January Friday night and slunk out of the 2012 Qatar Masters after another missed cut but the Swede had every reason to feel low.

Henrik Stenson believed his turn had arrived to become golf’s latest major champion and with it end the question of when Sweden would finally win one of the sport’s greatest prizes.

John Caulfield has been no fan of artificial pitches in the past but the Cork City manager seems to have been converted to the idea by the quality of BK Hacken’s 4G surface at the Bravida Stadium in Gothenburg on Thursday evening.

A good night that almost went down as one of the greats.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.