RTE has pledged 76 hours of television coverage for next year's Nissan World Equestrian Games, with satellite coverage from Ireland's largest sporting event being broadcast around the world. The national television network has also guaranteed to show 15 hours of live coverage and 15 hours highlights on the terrestrial channel during the two-week games in August 1998.

The announcement of the new television agreement, which has been in negotiation since the six-discipline games were first granted to Ireland in March 1994, was made in Dublin yesterday at the launch of Nissan's extended sponsorship to cover this year's international equestrian festival. The festival at Punchestown includes a three-day event (May 15th-19th), carriage driving (May 22th-26th) and endurance riding (August 14th).