Jumping joy as national championships revived

SHOW jumping received a boost yesterday with the news that the national championships are to be revived following a nine-year break.

The championships will be staged by the Show Jumping Association of Ireland (SJAI), with the support of the Irish Horse Board.

The decision of the SJAI to revive the event comes in the wake of its decision earlier this year to focus on the sport on a domestic level, having handed complete control of international affairs to the Equestrian Federation of Ireland.

The championships were a highlight of the show-jumping calendar for many years when staged in Salthill, Co Galway by the Duffy family.

They were last held at Ballinasloe, Co Galway in 1997 when Edward Doyle was crowned champion on King Koal.

Announcing plans for the event yesterday, the SJAI said it recognised that Ireland was alone among Europe’s top horse-producing nations in not running an annual championships, designed to show off the best they have to offer at young horse and top national level.

SJAI chairwoman Patricia Furlong said the championships would showcase the sport and highlight the fact that domestic competition was the foundation of international success.

“In Ireland we have a long, proud tradition of producing top-class horses and riders, many of whom go on to represent us with great honour on the international stage.

“The sport embraces a wide range of people, including the breeders, whose skill and foresight provide us with our wonderful horses and ponies, the horse owners, who support our competitors, the riders who line out at shows around the country every week and the many voluntary workers who give of their time to make it all happen.”

She said the SJAI was actively seeking a sponsor to put its name to the event.

“The revival of the national championships is part of a range of exciting initiatives and, although we already have a prize fund of €50,000 in place for the six different categories, we are also seeking a title sponsor for this major event in the Irish sporting calendar, which will be televised.”

The championships will be held at Barnadown, Co Wexford, from September 1-3.