Euro review report won’t be available for two months
On top of that, it will take another two months before a draft report is put before the HSI board, lending credence to the belief that the governing body is putting distance between the championships and the review’s conclusions as to why the team placed ninth and failed in its second attempt to book a place at next year’s Olympics.
HSI said the review’s purpose will be to identify the “key factors” that contributed to team’s non-qualification for the Olympics and to “make recommendations for changes in the programme for the future”.
The review will be conducted by Sia’s managing director Jane Williams and will include interviews with the riders — Denis Lynch, Billy Twomey, Shane Sweetnam and Nicola FitzGibbon — and team management, such as manager Robert Splaine. Also contributing will be HSI and Irish Sports Council personnel. All interviews will be one-to-one with Ms Williams, but, crucially, no views will be attributed to any individual in the review.
HSI chairman Joe Walsh described Williams as “a person of stature and independence”, but said a draft of the review will not be available for the HSI board until its first meeting in 2012, which will be in late January.
According to HSI, Williams has facilitated two strategic plans for the Irish Sports Council and recently facilitated Motor Sport Ireland’s strategy. She also worked with the Irish Amateur Boxing Association on its forthcoming strategy. She is currently chairperson of the Irish Pensions Board.
* BILLY TWOMEY opened with a 12th-place finish in the curtain-raiser at the Global Champions Tour final in Abu Dhabi yesterday, posting a single time fault with Sally Lane’s eight-year-old Wings Sublieme.
Denis Lynch was obviously just settling in with Lantinus, picking up three time faults to finish 15th in the one-round class.
Mark McAuley and Kerball provided one of only 11 clear rounds which put them ninth.
The second class saw Lynch (Lord Luis) and Twomey (Tinka’s Serenade) each put up four faults.
The GCT final takes place tomorrow, with a €400,000 prizefund and an additional €1 million euro to be divided among the top 18 after the completion of the 10-leg series.
Meanwhile a spokesperson for the Department of Defence yesterday said Minister Alan Shatter will give his decision in the next couple of days to a request for the loan of Army Equitation School horse Annestown for Twomey. The controversial request came from Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine to strengthen Twomey’s string of horses as he bids to win an individual place for Ireland in next year’s Olympics.
* SHOW jumper Nicola FitzGibbon is to spend time training at the yard of European champion Rolf-Göran Bengtsson.
This will initially involve a two-week stint at the Swede’s yard in northern Germany, with Kildare rider FitzGibbon expecting to return in the new year.
Also on the move is Jessica Kürten, who is to take over from Olivier Guillon at the stables of Edouard de Rothschild, outside Paris. Kürten will bring her own horses to Rothschild’s set-up and will share her time between those and working for Rothschild.
* CIAN O’CONNOR has strengthened his team with the acquisition of the 11-year-old Blue Loyd, formerly ridden by Norway’s Nina Braaten.
O’Connor described the gelding, which is owned by an Irish syndicate, as one of the best he’s ever had.
* KERRYMAN James Tarrant believes a huge level of expertise, be it business or sports-orientated, exists among members or past members of ShowjumpingIreland’s Cork/Kerry branch and he would like to mine it.
“We are always open to approach and I encourage those people to come forward with their ideas,” he said.
Tarrant is to continue as chairman of the branch for another year, following its AGM this week.
The branch intends to discuss with show organisers the introduction of competitions with a reduced entry fee for novice horses, along the lines of the €10 leagues in Limerick/Clare. It also plans to revise a training sub-committee whose remit will be to help riders of all grades reach the next level.
Incoming Cork/Kerry officers: vice-chairman Michael Hennessy, treasurer Gerard Murphy, secretary Kate Horgan; committee: Louise Bourke, Shane Brosnan, Michael Costelloe, Jeremiah Crean, Pat Duggan, Donal Geaney, Mikaela Hall, Tony Hurley, Sean Kelly, Josie Murphy, Kieran O’Donovan, Yvonne O’Sullivan, Wayne Santry.
