Lynch invited to nations cup meeting

PLANNING for the nations cup season moves into focus next Tuesday, when riders gather with management at Dublin airport to plan the season ahead.

The big question is: Will Denis Lynch be there?

The Tipperary rider last month sensationally declared his unavailability for selection this year, when approached by this correspondent. Since then, with the threat of sanction hanging over him for speaking to the press, he has declined to comment further.

As for HSI, a spokesperson yesterday said that “all riders who had jumped in nations cup teams in 2010 had been invited to the meeting,”.

The spokesman, however, was unable to say “what riders had confirmed their attendance, at this point”.

Difficult as it is to presage Lynch, it’s anyone’s bet whether or not he will turn up.

Manager Robert Splaine will also have to factor in the loss to Jessica Kürten of her top horses, following a dispute with owner Lady Georgina Forbes. While Castle Forbes Libertina was rarely available for Ireland and some, privately, would have questioned the Antrim rider’s commitment to the Irish set-up, Splaine will need everyone onside if he is to achieve his goal of Olympic qualification at this year’s European Championships in Madrid, Spain.

Meanwhile, Taylor Vard is also set to take up his position as advisor/assistant to Splaine. The Dubliner is the SJI nominee to the position. As of yesterday, he had yet to be formally told by HSI if his nomination had been vetoed, but this is unlikely.

Meanwhile, an announcement on Irish Sports Council funding for HSI is expected in the next couple of weeks, according to a council spokesperson, who added: “Every effort will be made to keep high-performance funding on par with previous years.

“However, it must be remembered that we too are operating on a 5.5% reduction this year.”

HSI chief executive Damian McDonald yesterday said he was hoping a worst-case scenario would see a cut of 10% on last year’s allocation.

“HSI are hoping that cuts will not be more than in the region of 10%. Any cuts will have an impact, obviously, but we will be able to function on that basis and anything more than that would have a serious impact on operations.”

* JESSICA KÜRTEN and the aforementioned Denis Lynch are running out of chances on the World Cup trail, as they travel to Vigo, Spain, this weekend.

Neither augmented their points tally in Bordeaux, France, last Saturday, though Kürten and Myrti lle Paulois were unlucky to be among 14 combinations to exit the competition in round one on four faults.

While Kürten requires about 10 points to claim a place in the World Cup finals, Lynch is 30 adrift, requiring at least reasonable performances this weekend and in Gothenburg, Sweden, and ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.

Lynch and Kürten did not leave Bordeaux without tasting victory, with the Tipp man and the gelding All Inclusive best in a 1.50m jump-off class. Kurten’s win came in Saturday’s one-round ladies’ competition on Fashion.

* LAST YEAR’S White’s Cross Charity Show raised €8,000 for charities, which will be presented to the beneficiaries at a reception next week.

The show has been contributing to good causes for almost 40 years and this time around it gives its support to the Irish Cancer Society, Diabetics Association of Ireland, the kidney dialysis unit at Cork University Hospital, Marymount Hospice and the Denis McCarthy spinal injury fund.

The reception will also see the launch of the Horse Sport Ireland Amateur Championship. Qualifiers are held nationally, culminating in the final at Whites Cross Charity Show in August.

lTHE board of Eventing Ireland saw two new additions at its AGM in Abbeyleix, Co Laois, this week, with Don Hannigan and Peter Fell, elected.

The two were filling vacancies created by the retirement of Marion Donegan and Ada Matheson, both of whom were representing the general membership.

A subsequent board meeting saw John Reid elected as vice-chairman.