Equestrian: Marie Burke has a point to prove when she goes into showjumping's top-25 individual at the world equestrian games in Germany this afternoon.
The 42-year-old Co Clare rider made it onto the Irish team for Aachen almost by default, but she's been the star of these championships and goes into today's semi-final in 10th place, just over a fence off the top duo, America's Beezie Madden and Dutchman Gerco Schroder.
"I've always had to prove myself," Burke said after jumping yet another stunning clear with Chippison in Wednesday night's team finale, which saw the Irish finish sixth in the world, one slot away from Olympic qualification. "Even after Dublin (where she finished third in the Longines Grand Prix) I still hadn't done enough", she says.
Only when Marion Hughes' horse Heritage Transmission was ruled out of the Aachen team through injury did Burke and Chippison get the call-up as reserves and then, in another twist of fate, the Ennis combination made it onto the team when Cian O'Connor's Waterford Crystal was lame at the 11th hour.
In three rounds of jumping here in Aachen, the home-bred stallion has hit only one fence after losing a shoe in the first round of the Nations Cup on Wednesday. If he can continue to produce that form in today's massive two-rounder and Burke wins through to tomorrow's change-horse final, Chippison will find himself with an unfamiliar jockey in the saddle for only the second time in his competitive career.
Barry Capstick, Ireland's only starter in the carriage driving was forced to retire from yesterday's competition after injuring his leg in a crash at the first obstacle on the marathon course. The 48-year-old's left leg was crushed between the carriage and the fence when the carriage tipped over at the obstacle.
Paramedics treated him at the scene of the accident and he was then transferred by ambulance to the Aachen University Clinic, five kilometres from the showgrounds. X-rays revealed no broken bones, however, and Capstick - who had been lying in 38th place after the dressage phase - was treated for severe bruising before being released from hospital.
