SJAI raise the bar with new Premier League
Launched this week, the SJAI has promised €135,000 for the nine-leg series, enough to attract more than a modicum of interest from riders.
For the past few years, the Boswell League has set the standard on the national circuit and the Premier League is set to increase the sport’s profile.
The league, which is jointly sponsored by the SJAI and Atec Trailers Ltd, runs from next month to August and will have a minimum of €15,000 on offer at each of the nine fixtures, of which a minimum of €3,000 will go towards a qualifying class held the preceding day.
SJAI chairwoman Patricia Furlong declined to disclose the sponsor’s financial input, adding that the contract with Atec was agreed in principal and would be finalised next week.
She said that of €15,000 on offer at each show, the SJAI will contribute €5,000. She added that shows must also find an individual sponsor.
The league will be televised on TG4 and Sky.
The fixtures are: Louth County Show (April 28/29), Barnadown (May 11-13), Mullingar (June 2-4), Blessington (June 30-July 1), Ballina (July 6-8), National Balmoral (July 15-19), Boswell Equestrian Centre (July 27-29), South Co Dublin (Aug 4-5) and Millstreet (Aug 15-19).
EVENTING IRELAND’S performance manger Lars Christennson believes Steven Smith’s win last weekend is evidence of the efforts being made to improve the standard of the sport.
The Swede said: “Clearly, the work done and the commitment shown by everyone concerned, from riders and owners to those who have worked so hard on revitalising Eventing Ireland, had to start paying off at some stage.”
Smith claimed Ireland’s first eventing win of the year in the three-star class at Barroca D’Alva, Portugal Riding Quality VH, he finished with a nine-penalty margin over New Zealander Joe Meyer on his 2006 World Equestrian Games ride Snip.
Meyer was the leader after the dressage, but when Smith added only four time-penalties on the cross-country and a further one penalty in the show jumping, victory was his on a total of 56.8. Smith also rode Fernando to third place in the one-star contest.
EVENTING has again been hit by tragedy with the death of a French rider at Fontainebleau last Sunday.
Thirty-year-old French woman Amelie Cohen died when her horse somersaulted on to her at the seventh fence during the cross-country of a national competition. The fence measured just 3ft 7.5in.
The death of Ms Cohen, a vet, is the fourth to hit the sport in just seven months. In December, Korean Kim Hyung-Chil died in a fall at the Asian Games. His death was preceded by the demise of 17-year-old American Mia Eriksson at an event in California in November, while Armagh rider Sherelle Duke died in a fall in August.
Meanwhile, Irish event rider Edmond Gibney remained in “a critical but stable condition” in Southampton University Hospital yesterday.
Mr Gibney, from Kells, Co Meath, was involved in a car crash last Saturday week in the south of England.
IRISH show jumping team manager Robert Splaine’s prediction of Canada as a threat in last weekend’s nations cup season opener in Florida proved spot on, when they denied a battling Ireland victory.
The Canadians had to be near perfect, finishing on one fault to deny the boys in green, as Cian O’Connor, riding Irish Independent Echo Beach, and US-based Sligo man Darragh Kerins aboard Orlando produced double clears for a team total of just four.
Conor Swail was unlucky to have a single fence down in the first round on Mr President, borrowed from Niall Grimes, who suffered a fall that sidelined him last week.
Jonathan McCrea made an inauspicious senior debut, providing discard scores of nine and 13 with Costa.
Ireland had little problem in dealing with the US, who finished on 12.
Splaine’s main aim this year is a top-three finish at the August European Championships in Mannheim, Germany, which would qualify Ireland for the Beijing Olympics.
Ireland are also bidding for promotion to the Super League.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
