Defining weekend for Olympic eventing hopefuls

Jayne Doherty would be the first to acknowledge she does not do “quietly confident”.

Thus, as Irish eventing approaches a defining weekend in Ballindenisk, the sport’s elite making a final push for a place at the Olympics, Doherty did not hesitate in focussing on the positive.

“Having pulled out my personal best score at the combined training at Coilog last weekend — I scored 41 on The Only One and 49.7 on Ravenstar — I feel as if I have got my dressage sorted.

“On Tuesday, I practised jumping fences at speed on grass and last weekend I show jumped on grass, so I feel I have done everything I can to prepare.

“However, having walked the course, if anyone thought they were coming for an easy run, they are mistaken,” she said.

“There is a fair bet of pressure, basically I need a top-five finish and am going to focus on doing well in each phase and, hopefully, the placing will happen as a result of that,” said Doherty, who added that she was recovering from “chronic back pain”, following a session with a chiropractor.

She felt the squad’s recent training will yield long-term benefits.

“I have to say the intensity of the training of the past few weeks with Ferdi Eilberg and Ian Fearon, combined with having to do this event in February, has transformed the scores of the Irish squad. This will definitely feed into the future of Irish eventing,” said Doherty.

“We know what we need to do and we just have to pull out our best shot. I am really up for it and can’t wait to get going. I am more prepared than ever and I am really confident.”

Local rider Michael Ryan, Mark Kyle, Camilla Speirs, Ciaran Glynn and Capt Geoff Curran will be aiming also to realise Doherty’s hopes in what is the last chance to boost Olympic qualification points ahead of the March 1 deadline.

Ballindenisk organiser Peter Fell felt the goal was achievable.

“Essentially, our riders have to be in the top seven in the CCI three-star and the top six in the CIC three-star,” he said.

“It is not a tall order: firstly, they are in good form at the moment and have home advantage. Also, we had no frost here, whereas they had in England, which would have curtailed their rivals’ preparation.

“The Italians are our main competition for the Olympics, but also the Dutch, and, as there is an Italian fixture running opposite us at the weekend, it will make it even more difficult on Sunday to calculate if the Irish riders will have done enough, but I am optimistic, it is a good, old-fashioned cross-country track which should suit the Irish horses.”

Fell said preparations had gone to plan for the two competitions.

“It is make our break, but we are doing as much as we can to ensure the venue is in tip-top condition.

“We are happy with the going, particularly for this time of year. It is looking good, with plenty of drying forecast.

“This is a competitors’ event, as distinct from being geared towards the public, but obviously we would be encouraging everyone to come out to support the Irish. It is a no-frills event, but the prize is huge for everyone, for Irish and their rivals, who also have their eye on London.”

Dressage for both the CCI and CIC take place today, beginning at 10am, followed by show jumping for the CIC. Tomorrow is cross-country day, with a midday start, while the CCI show jumping starts at 1pm on Sunday.

lDermott Lennon and Billy Twomey battle for a place in the World Cup final when they line in the last qualifier in Gothenburg, Sweden, this weekend,

The top 18 riders on the Western European League at the close of play on Sunday qualify for April’s final in ’s-Hertogenbosch, with Lennon placed 21st on 30 points and Twomey 23rd on 26 points.

While decent results will be required from both, it is not unreasonable to expect this, as Denis Lynch could testify, the Tipperary rider winning the last qualifier in 2011 to book his place in the final.

He too is in Gothenburg, but he has no qualification worries this year, as he sits third on the league table.

Yesterday, he gave Abbervail van het Dingeshof a productive outing, jumping clear to finish fifth in a two-phase.

* Georgia Stubington was elected Eventing Ireland’s new chairperson after being co-opted onto its board at the body’s AGM last Sunday.

She replaced John Wright, one of three directors to step down, having served their term. The others were vice-chairman John Reid and events director Paul Brady.

Jessica Harrington (riders’ director) was appointed the vice-chairperson at the AGM, which took place at the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel, Co Laois.