Horse Sport Ireland Eventing Team Manager Sally Corscadden has announced the Irish Eventing squad and reserves for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games which take place in Tryon, North Carolina USA this September. The team includes two RED MILLS riders, Sam Watson & Cathal Daniels.

The FEI World Equestrian Games, held every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle, is one of the biggest events on the global sporting calendar.

Team and individual World Championship titles are up for grabs in eight FEI disciplines – Jumping, Eventing, Dressage, Para-Dressage, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.

The Irish Eventing Squad for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games is

  • Tipperary’s Padraig McCarthy with Mr Chunky – owned by Christopher & Sarita Perkins, Huw Lloyd and Lucy Wiegersma
  • Kildare’s Aoife Clark with Fernhill Adventure (ISH) – owned by Richard Last & Aoife Clark
  • Galway’s Cathal Daniels with Rioghan Rua (ISH) – owned by Margaret Kinsella
  • Meath’s Sarah Ennis with Horseware Stellor Rebound (ISH) – owned by Horseware Products Ltd, Niki Potterton & Orla Ennis
  • Carlow’s Sam Watson and Horseware Ardagh Highlight (ISH) – owned by Belinda Keir
  • Five reserves have also been named in the following order

    • 1st Tim Bourke with Luckaun Quality (ISH)
    • 2nd Patricia Ryan with Dunrath Eclipse (ISH)
    • 3rd Joseph Murphy with Sportsfield Othello (ISH)
    • 4th Ciaran Glynn with November Night (ISH) (TIH)
    • 5th Clare Abbott with Euro Prince (ISH)

    All combinations are required to maintain their current form and soundness to remain on the squad for the Championships.

    Speaking after announcing the squad, Irish Eventing Team Manager Sally Corscadden said:

    “It is very exciting to be travelling with a squad that has achieved competitive individual performances at four-star and Championship level. Our job is to progress this into a competitive team result and a qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Our Eventing squads have consistently produced top class results at a broad range of three and four-star Internationals this spring, including a podium finish in the Nations Cup at Houghton Hall, and three riders finishing in the top 10 at four-star level.

    Cathal Daniels

    “It has been the most successful start to the year for Team Ireland on the competition front, however the thoughts and prayers of all the team remain with Jonty Evans following his fall. He is always in our thoughts and we will definitely be “wearing green for Jonty”. We would like to thank our coaches, the squad members, their owners and supporters for all their hard work behind the scenes. We would also like to thank everyone who supported us at our fundraising Demo Nights and Race and also all our Team Ireland Equestrian Sponsors. It is a huge benefit to be able to send the team with the proper training, support and preparations in place to help them to perform to the best of their ability and make Ireland proud.”

    The 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games runs from September 11th to 23rd with the Eventing competition starting with Dressage on September 13th & 14th, followed by Cross Country on September 15th and the final Show Jumping phase on September 16th.

    BREEDING

    • Fernhill Adventure (ISH) – 2006 bay gelding by Newmarket Venture (HANN) out of Cloverwood (ISH), by Clover Hill (ID). Bred by Mary Quinlivan, Co. Cork. Owner: Richard Last & Aoife Clark. Rider: Aoife Clark (IRL)
    • Rioghan Rua (ISH) – 2007 chestnut mare by Jack Of Diamonds (SWB) out of Highland Destiny (ISH), by Flagmount King (ID). Owner/Bred by Margaret Kinsella, Co. Galway. Rider: Cathal Daniels (IRL)
    • Horseware Stellor Rebound (ISH) – 2004 bay gelding by VDL Ricochet (KWPN). Owner: Horseware Products Ltd, Niki Potterton and Orla Ennis. Rider: Sarah Ennis (IRL)
    • Horseware Ardagh Highlight (ISH) – 2004 bay gelding by Puissance (ISH) out of Gentle Servant (ISH), by Kings Servant (ISH). Bred by Teresa Walsh, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Belinda Keir. Rider: Sam Watson (IRL)