Ireland’s Show Jumping team manager Michael Blake has chosen an experienced squad of Offaly’s Darragh Kenny, Derry’s Daniel Coyle, Meath’s Cian O’Connor, Tipperary’s Denis Lynch and Wexford’s Bertram Allen, for the 2022 ECCO FEI World Championships that take place in Herning, Denmark from August 10th-14th 2022.
The World Championships in Herning will also be a qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, with the top five teams (excluding Olympic hosts France) from the World Championships in Herning gaining a place at the Paris Olympics.
The Irish squad, sponsored by The Underwriting Exchange, for the 2022 FEI ECCO World Championships is as follows:
Daniel Coyle with Legacy – owned by Ariel Grange & Daniel Coyle; Groom: Greg Debie
Cian O’Connor with C Vier 2 – owned by Susan Magnier; Groom: Mie Ostersen
Darragh Kenny with VDL Cartello – owned by Heathman Farm LLC; Groom: Nickki O’Donovan
Denis Lynch with Brooklyn Heights – owned by Molly Ohrstrom; Groom: Gwendoline Bellamy
Bertram Allen with Pacino Amiro (ISH) – owned by Aidan McGrory; Groom: Lovisa Munter
Non-travelling reserve – Trevor Breen with Highland President – owned by Heather Black; Groom: Katie King
Hopes will be high for the Irish after a successful season so far which has included four Nations Cup wins in Langley (CAN), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Florida (USA) and Lisbon (POR).
Looking ahead to next month’s Championships, Blake said:
“I have selected a vastly experienced team – Denis Lynch has a wealth of experience and while Brooklyn Heights might be relatively new to him, he has been ultra-consistent and has won a five-star Grand Prix in Rome along the way.
“VDL Cartello and Darragh Kenny are a pairing who know what it takes at this level too – Cartello was brilliant in the Nations Cup final last year in Barcelona, jumping double clear. He has enjoyed a fantastic season so far and was successful in Mexico City.
“Cian O’Connor has jumped at many, many championships and has been the highest-placed member of the team at the last few Olympic Games. He has an exciting new partnership with C Vier 2 and the pair have been clear in two Nations Cups. He is a horse who is improving all the time at the top level.
“Daniel Coyle and Legacy have been brilliant out in Florida and came back and jumped double clear for the team in Rotterdam at the Nations Cup.
“Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro (ISH) won the five-star Grand Prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival earlier in the year and also in Stockholm in June so they bring top-class form and experience to the squad,” Blake added.
Trevor Breen and Highland President have been selected as the non-travelling reserve and Blake concluded: “That really is a promising pairing for the future, he’s a very exciting horse.”
Ireland finished fourth in their first points-scoring round this year of the five-star Longines FEI Nations Cup Series in Europe Division 1 at Sopot in Poland, and followed that up with a podium finish when taking third place on their second outing in Rotterdam (NED).
Ireland’s third points-scoring FEI Nations Cup round be at Hickstead in Great Britain later this month, before Ireland head to Denmark for the World Championships – returning home for the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse Show (Aug 17-21) which is Ireland’s fourth and final opportunity to gain points on the road to the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona.
“I believe we can get a great result at the World Championships; I think we’ll certainly be in contention to win a medal,” Blake said.
“We have been building towards this and have had four Nations Cup wins. It has been a very good year so far and I’m looking forward to the team going out there and performing well.
“I must also thank our owners, for providing these wonderful horses to Team Ireland and giving us the opportunity to compete for medals at such a high level.”
