Irish team upbeat as Nations Cup kicks-off
Instead, the Corkman took a pragmatic view, saying the only definite was that his four-man team would be doing their utmost to achieve a good start.
“Everybody is upbeat,” said Splaine. “All the riders will be doing their best, as they always do.
“You can rest assured, the other teams will be strong, but we look to ourselves. It is how we performs that counts, it is the course we have to beat.”
Splaine selected Denis Lynch (Abbervail van het Dingeshof), Cameron Hanley (Living The Dream), Greg Broderick (MHS Going Global), and Billy Twomey (Diaghilev) with Shane Breen (Golden Hawk), the fifth man.
A poor showing in last year’s series, meant Ireland could not choose its four point-gaining shows.
“We were allocated our four-point gaining shows. Lummen comes very soon after the World Cup final, while La Baule begins in less than a fortnight, so the timeframe is tight. However, those are the rules and we have to accept and deal with it and endeavour to make the most of it.”
While important, the Furusiyya Series is in essence an exercise in developing the right team for the European Championships in August, with the prize a ticket to the Olympics.
“The European Championships are our main goal and nations cups — team jumping at the highest level — provide me with the best possible information on the horse/rider combinations to make informed decisions when the time comes.
“I’d be hoping we can do well in the series along the way, but it is all about putting the best team out in the championships. It is our last opportunity for Ireland to qualify for the Olympics.
“I’d be hoping that some of these horses prove to be championships material. It’s early days, yet, though, and I don’t expect to learn everything tomorrow. We are lucky to have very talented jockeys, but we are in the same boat as many countries in that we do lack depth in championship-quality horses. Hopefully, that could improve as the year goes on.”
Sweden, France, Italy and the home side are also competing for points, with the Netherlands, Britain, and Switzerland also in the mix.
It came down to sibling rivalry in the opening round of the TRM/Horseware Premier Series at Louth County Show last weekend, with Alexander Butler scoring a decisive victory over his brother Edward.
In a 16-horse jump-off, Alexander, riding Caroline Byrne’s Hallowberry Cruz, had almost three seconds to spare over Edward, aboard James Egan’s Cornet Son, in the 10,000 class.
Alexander praised the nine-year-old Cruising offspring: “It was his first Premier Series grand prix and he jumped great. He is definitely going to jump bigger things.”
With Molly Malone V enjoying a well-earned rest following her bronze-medal winning performance in the World Cup final, Bertram Allen gave All Quiet 4 an outing in the Global Champions Tour contest at Antwerp, the Netherlands, last weekend, but like compatriot Darragh Kenny, he had a single error in round one.
Offaly native Kenny, who has travelled from the US, said he was “very happy” with Sans Soucis Z, ahead of travelling to Madrid. France’s Simon Delestre (Ryan des Hayettes) produced the fastest of three clears in the third-round jump-off to take the top prize.
Kenny had reason to celebrate on Saturday, winning a speed class on the 13-year-old Limmerick Irish sport horse mare Belle Rock.
“I’ve only had the horse for a month and though she was a little unlucky in the Global Champions’ Tour in Miami, she has a really big stride and so she’s quite fast but very very careful.”
Capt Michael Kelly rode Drumiller Lough to victory in the grand prix at the two-star show in Chantilly, France, having finished second in a 1.40mtr speed class on Saturday with Mullentine Loughgall.
Dressage rider Kildare’s Judy Reynolds set a new Irish international grand prix kür (freestyle to music) record score of 75.775% when sixth with Joe and Kathleen Reynolds’ 13-year-old Jazz gelding Vancouver K at Hagen, Germany, last weekend.
The previous record score of 75.725% was set by Irish Olympian Anna Merveldt and Coryolano in Vienna, Austria, at the end of 2011.
German-based Reynolds also placed sixth in the grand prix at four-star Hagen, producing a personal best score of 70.70% in an FEI grand prix class.
“Vancouver K was competing in his first outdoor show this year and was very settled, there are more points to get and I blame myself for the few mistakes today,” she said.
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