IRELAND EQUAL SECOND IN US NATIONS' CUP

SHOW JUMPING RESULTS: CSIO4* WELLINGTON FLORIDA USA FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 01 2009

FEI NATIONS' CUP OF USA
Saturday February 28, 2009

1) CANADA 15 faults
=2) IRELAND 16 faults
Shane Sweetnam; Amaretto d'Arco 0/4
Richie Moloney; Triviant 12/-
Kevin Babington; Souvenir 0/4
Darragh Kerins; Night Train 4/4
=2) GREAT BRITAIN 16 faults
4) USA 20 faults

KURTEN TENTH, LYNCH 11TH IN SWEDISH WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

22/02/09 SCANDINAVIAN competitors dominated the top end of the World Cup class leaderboard at Gothenburg, Sweden today (Sunday), leaving Ireland's two contenders with tenth and 11th place after collecting four faults each in the first round.

Swedish outsider Svante Johansson, currently ranked 161st in the world, took first place in the four-horse jump-off, with Denmark's Thomas Velin and Sweden's Rolf-Goran Bengtsson collecting prize money for second and third place, respectively.

Ireland's Jessica Kurten and Lady Georgina Forbes's 'Castle Forbes Libertina' and Denis Lynch with Flaminia Straumann's 'Nabab's Son' were just two of the world's top 30 riders who failed to go clear in Gothenburg's first round today, with Kurten picking up 1300 euro for her eventual tenth place, but Lynch finding himself just outside the prize money in 11th position.

Following her tenth place at Gothenburg today, 39 year-old Jessica Kurten now climbs back to tenth position in the Rolex World Cup rankings from a previous 16th place following Vigo's qualifying competition in Spain last weekend.

IRISH SNATCH TWO MORE WINS ON SUNSHINE TOUR

O'SHEA, QUIGLEY VICTORIOUS ON SUNSHINE TOUR

20/02/09 IRISH riders notched up two wins at the Spanish Sunshine Tour near Cadiz, Spain today (Friday).

Limerick-born Paul O'Shea piloted the Irish-bred 'Shannondale Macalla' to victory in the 1m45 class, just over a second clear of New Zealand runner-up Samantha McIntosh, while earlier Wexford's Dave Quigley took first place in the 1m40 competition against the clock.

Quigley, riding 'Sabatini', triumphed in a field of over a hundred starters, but his win was narrower than O'Shea's, with just a fifth of a second separating him from Argentinean challenger Fidel Segovia.

A total of 13 Irish riders are competing in the Spanish Sunshine Tour, which runs until next month at Vejer de la Frontera.

With Thanks to HSI Press Office.

TWOMEY TRIUMPHANT IN DUTCH GRAND PRIX

25/01/09 CORK-born Billy Twomey took a 25,000 euro prize for his victory in this afternoon's Grand Prix at Amsterdam, the Netherlands, riding his own nine year-old stallion 'Je t'Aime Flamenco'.

The 31 year-old Cheshire-based rider was one of ten to go clear from the first round's starting field of 45, and flashed across the line just under a second ahead of Italian challenger Gianni Govoni.

Twomey's Dutch victory came only an hour after a spectacular second-in-a-row World Cup Qualifier win by Ireland's Jessica Kurten at the five-star show in Zurich, Switzerland.

Afterwards, Ireland's Show Jumping Team Manager Robert Splaine said: "This has been a phenomenal week in the sport for the Irish, with our riders claiming the two top prizes in Europe on one day."

KURTEN TAKES THIRD IN ZURICH SWISS MASTERS

23/01/09 A FIGHTING attempt on the Mercedes Swiss Master title tonight (Friday) in Zurich left Ireland's Jessica Kurten in third place with a prize purse of just over 6,000 euro.

One of just 15 to qualify from two previous competitions at the five-star venue, the 39 year-old Cullybacker-born Kurten was up against some of the sport's top names, and was one of just four to make it through to the jump-off.

Riding Lady Georgina Forbes's gifted 13 year-old mare 'Castle Forbes Libertina', the German-based rider was just less than a second off the pace of Swedish victor Rolf-Goran Bengtsson on 'Quintero la Silla'.

However, Kurten will be concentrating her firepower with 'Libertina' on Sunday's World Cup Qualifier at Zurich. To be sure of a place in the World Cup Final at Las Vegas in April, the Irish rider needs to add to the 20 points she has on the current leaderboard after her win at Leipzig last week.

 KURTEN WINS LEIPZIG GRAND PRIX, O'CONNOR THIRD

18/01/09 IN A THRILLING finish to the Grand Prix at Leipzig today (Sunday), Ireland took both first and third places, with Jessica Kurten claiming the 33,000 euro winner's prize and Cian O'Connor taking third place.

Kurten brought out Lady Moira Forbes's mare 'Castle Forbes Libertina' for the feature contest of the World Cup show, and was one of 13 combinations to qualify for the jump-off from a starting field of 39 top international horses. The 39 year-old Munster-based rider rode a cool foot-perfect round to record the fastest time, beating the Netherlands' Gerco Schoder into second place by a seventh of a second.

Dublin-born O'Connor, meanwhile, was not far behind on Aileen Bryan's 11 year-old bay gelding 'Rancorrado', again delivering a fault-free round to take third overall.

O'Connor and Kurten chalked up an impressive series of top ten finishes for Ireland during the Leipzig weekend, with Meath-based O'Connor adding a seventh, a fourth and a second place to today's Grand Prix placing, while Kurten was second in the Young Horse Final and also had a seventh, a sixth, a fifth and a fourth place during the three days of competition.

SWEETNAM SECOND IN US WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

 FLOODY WINS SECOND LEG OF GUIDAM SPRING TOUR AT CAVAN

JOHN Floody from Newgrange was the winner of the second leg of the HSI Guidam Spring Tour today  at Cavan Equestrian Centre, Co. Cavan with a double clear round in a time of 50.98 on Tony Noble's mare 'Slightly Bonkers'.

Just three combinations went through to the Grand Prix jump-off on Stuart Clarke's course from a startlist of 51.

Floody, who took sixth place with the same horse at last week's first leg of the Guidam League at Ravensdale, Co. Louth, was delighted with his win today and said afterwards: "The mare's been a tricky project. We're moving her into 1m40 classes soon, but it's been hard work, though I have to say the hard work paid off at Cavan today. We have high hopes for her, so you might be seeing more of us soon!"

Anne Marie Fitzpatrick took the runner-up spot today with 'Finders Keepers', and recorded the only other double clear round. Gerard Campbell had two fences down with 'Catch Me If You Can' in the jump-off to claim third place.

14 Year old Shannon McKenzie was unlucky not to be fourth into the jump off with a single time fault.  This was McKenzie's first horse Grand Prix and there is surely more to come from the well known pony rider.

Fellow northern rider Eoin Gallagher cemented his place on the
leaderboard after taking joint third in Ravensdale last week, he
continues his good start to the season with a fifth spot on Dermott
Lennon's Java magic.

Taking sixth was Longford rider Robert Harrison on his new recruit
Team Harmony Chelto Z.

TRI Equestrian Young Rider Winner was Shannon McKenzie who took fourth with Artasooly.

RESULTS HSI Guidam Spring Tour at Cavan Equestrian Centre

1 - John Floody on Slightly Bonkers(Owner: Tony Noble) 0/0 50.98
2 - Anne Marie Fitzpatrick on Finders Keepers (Harry Fitzpatrick) 0/0 56.35
3 - Gerard campbell on Catch Me If You Can (Gerard campbell) 0/8 56.37
4 - Shannon McKenzie on Artasooly (Lynn Patterson) 1/
5 - Eoin Gallagher on Java Magic (Dermott Lennon) 4/ 77.20
6 - Robert Harrison on Team Harmony Chelto Z (David Harrison) 4/ 81.02
7 - Edward Little on Qualisca de Vansichant (David Prentice BMW) 4/ 81.48
8 - Jack Doyle on Owen II (Cruicerath Syndicate) 4/ 81.92

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DRAIN TAKES A ONE-TWO IN FIRST LEG OF HSI GUIDAM SPRING TOUR OF 2009

SIXTEEN year-old Conor Drain was the winner of the first leg of the HSI Guidam Spring Tour today (Sunday) at Niall Connolly’s  Ravensdale Centre outside Dundalk, Co. Louth with a double clear round in a time of 32.63 on Anthony Smyth's mare 'Shanroe Penny'.

To ensure nobody was under the illusion it was just luck, the Antrim-born rider also took second place on Judith Sossick's 'Loughview Lou Lou'.

Afterwards the former Irish Junior European team rider said: "It's been a fantastic two days at Ravensdale, and I've won a few classes, but to take first and second in the HSI Guidam Tour was really the icing on the cake. I'm really delighted."

ShowjumpingIreland and Eventing Ireland are delighted to announce a joint membership package which will give members of both organisations discounted membership and registration packages.

This initiative was brought about through discussions by both bodies as to how to create enhanced membership benefits on certain categories of registration.

ShowjumpingIreland recognises that in the current climate, value for money is all important and will be actively looking at ways of improving the benefits associated with membership of the Association for all categories of member.

More and more members are now crossing between both organisations and we feel this will help to give more Eventing Ireland members access to the services of SJI through the recording of jumping history which would not have been previously available when using Temporary Tickets. We also hope this will help the equine business as a whole, as many horses switch disciplines and this should stimulate the market by working to provide for better training standards in flatwork and jumping.

Eventing Ireland also views this as an opportunity for riders and owners to find a new market for horses and will help in the improvements of standards. Many owners have interests in both disciplines and this should help make Equestrian Sport more attractive and less expensive.  It is becoming an increased requirement for High Performance Eventing riders to compete in high level show jumping as part of their training regime and this is a perfect opportunity for them.

Eventing Ireland Chairman John Wright is looking forward to what the new initiative will bring; ‘’We are very appreciative of the far sightedness and cooperation of ShowjumpingIreland in putting this together.  We are delighted to be offering a reciprocal package to SJI members who wish to broaden their equestrian experience.’’

ShowjumpingIreland Chairman Ronan Corrigan believes this will prove as a major benefit to members of both organisations; ‘’This was given a unanimous vote of confidence at a meeting of the Management and Finance committee on Tuesday.  We feel this will be a beneficial scheme to SJI members as it will offer alternate activities and will provide a benefit to Eventing Ireland members by providing a discounted early in the year as many do not register with us until late in the year. ’’

Details can be obtained on the Joint Membership package by visiting www.sji.ie, www.eventingireland.com or by contacting ShowjumpingIreland or Eventing Ireland.

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