All eyes on Funnell's Euro hat-trick bid
It features Cork riders Patricia Donegan (Don't Step Back) and Austin O'Connor (Horseware Fabio), Sherelle Duke (LA Temple Bar) from Portadown, Wexford's Niall Griffin (Lorgaine), Kildare's Susan Shortt (Just Beauty Queen and Armagh's Trevor Smith (Dunrath Hill). The team of four will be named after the trot-up on Wednesday, with the remaining two joining the individual ranks.
Being the host country, Ireland can also name a further six individual riders, which are: Becky George (Wee Hot Toddy), Mark Kyle (Drunken Disorderly), Michael Ryan (Old Road), Sasha Harrison (All Love Du Fenaud), Jonty Evans (Cregwarrior) and Frances Younghusband (Allora Coin).
The riders will compete happy in the knowledge that one of their ranks, Jane O'Flynn, is on the road to recovery, following a fall at Richill recently. The Kildare woman, who was almost certain to be on the team, is out of intensive care at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital and was described yesterday as being in a "stable" condition.
Much of the focus at Punchestown will be on Pippa Funnell, who is bidding for a hat-trick of European titles. Having taken gold at Pau in 2001 and Lumühlen in 1999 on Supreme Rock, the British star will line out without the Cork-bred super horse, who is reported injured. Instead she will partner Cornerman. Funnell last weekend became the first rider in history to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing when she rode Primmore's Pride to victory at the Burghley Masterfoods Horse Trials. Following back-to-back wins at Kentucky last April with Primmores Pride and the Badminton in May on Supreme Rock, Funnell completed the sweep of the three CCI four-star events at Burghley to win $250,000 and a Pink Gold 18-carat Rolex watch, the largest ever purse in eventing history.
She is certain to be the hot favourite, but will only be one of more than 500 riders and horses to congregate at Punchestown for the International Sport Horse Show.
The biggest equestrian event in the world this year and the biggest ever in this country, it will feature the Fáilte Ireland/IFG European Eventing Championships and the Emirates Airline European Endurance Championships. It is the first time two European championships have been held concurrently in the same venue.
According to chief executive Tim Philips, the show will cost approximately 2.5m to stage, but he is confident of getting a good return in terms of the promotion of Irish equestrianism.
"We have a passion to re-establish the good name of the Irish horse industry," he said, a reference to the debacle of cancelled world equestrian games in 1998. "The who's who of world equestrianism will be at Punchestown, including the 2003 Athens Olympic organisers," he said.
"We have got to make equestrianism more fun for the family and I guarantee that anyone who turns up will have their breath blow away by what these horses and riders will do."
Apart from Ireland, 15 nations will face up to Tommy Brennan's spectacular cross-country course, while the endurance championships a one-day race covering 160kms is open to countries worldwide and has attracted riders from 12 countries nations.
Apart from the championships, the show will feature the Paddy Power Hunt Chase on two identical courses and the last round of the Kerrygold Grand Prix League. Ancilliary attractions include a tented village with more than 200 shops and Funderland. A presentation titled Ride On revolving around the history of the Irish horse will bring the show to a fitting climax on Sunday.
PETER SMYTH ended any doubt as to the destination of this year's Kerrygold Grand Prix League crown when placing fifth with Zara's Pride in last Sunday's penultimate round in Claremorris. The three points gained, plus the fact his main rival for the title James Kernan failed to add to his tally, secured the title for the Strabane rider.
Victory in Claremorris went to Neal Fearon on Drumagoland Flight with a winning margin of over 1.5 seconds. Local hero Gabriel Slattery slotted two horses into the jump-off, but had to settle for second on Riverdance Clover and fourth on Sligo Royale, with Ronan Clarke sandwiched in between in third on Athletico 26.
With the league winner now boasting an unassailable 109 points, next Saturday's final round at Punchestown will be a battle for the placings. Kernan has 81 points to his credit, but Lt David O'Brien is just four points adrift, with Harry Marshall a further three behind.
SHANE BREEN took the lion's share of the prizemoney in the 3,000 grand prix at the Cork/Kerry Branch Annual Gymkhana at Millstreet last Saturday.
The Tipperary rider was in the advantageous position to have two in the jump-off from a line-up of 24. On board Luandra he came home 1.5 seconds faster than Steven Smith and Wise Crack to claim victory. Breen teamed up with Iman D'Occagnes to provide the only other double clear to take third.
The gymkhana was the opener of a two-day festival of show jumping at the Cork venue, where Ronan Tynan reclaimed a sizeable part of his sponsorship money in the five-year-old horses class at a wet Munster Championship on Sunday.
In the 2,000 class, the tenor saw his own Warrenstown You 2 and Tholm Keane denied victory by Richie Moloney aboard Ardentaggle Flight. Not content with second place, however, Keane and Tynan's Warrenstown We 3 joined forces to also claim fourth behind Joan Green and Claremount Tennor.
Shane Breen was indomitable in the six-year-old horses class, taking first with Quick Clover and second on Oldtown Katie. The Tipperary rider made it a double with victory in the 1.10m class on Quick Clover, while in the four-year-old contest, it was Shane Sweetnam, aboard Shakespeare, who played the leading part.
Former Army rider Danielle Quinlivan marched to victory in the OMC Engineering 1.20m competition. With three in the top six, she topped the leaderboard on Eye Que and placed fourth and sixth with Billy Daly's Newmarket Boy and Newmarket Clare, respectively. The Kanturk rider also partnered Newmarket Boy to victory in the 1.20m class on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Millstreet is also the venue for the White's Cross Charity Show next Sunday. Starting at 10am, it is in aid of the Irish Cancer Society.
A MEETING of the Cork/Kerry Branch committee took place last night in Macroom to discuss the controversy regarding the grand prix at last Saturday's branch gymkhana.
It emerged only days before the show the grand prix was not part of the Kerrygold League.
Branch chairman John Hannan said he hoped to be in a position to comment today.
