EQUESTRIAN NEWS ROUND-UP: CAMERON HANLEY yesterday requested to be withdrawn from next week’s nations’ cup team at Aachen as “he was concerned that some distracting issues which have emerged since Balve could impact on the performance of the Irish team”.
Hanley had been named to compete with either Southwind or SIEC Livello along with Denis Lynch (Lantinus), Cian O’Connor (Rancorrado) and Billy Twomey (Je t’Aime Flamenco) at next week’s fifth round of the Meydan league. However, following discussions with Horse Sport Ireland’s show jumping team manager Robert Splaine, the Mayo native will be replaced on the squad by Capt David O’Brien and Kiltoom.
Hanley’s decision to withdraw centres on media reports he was under investigation from the German equestrian federation after a syringe was allegedly discovered in a jacket belonging to the 36-year-old during the German national championships show at Balve on June 13th-14th.
Hanley denies any wrong-doing and also states he was unaware of any inquiry. “I am aware of comments related to me in the media but I have not been informed that I am under investigation for any offence. All my horses were tested at the Balve show and indeed other shows over the years.
“Some equipment was found in a working-yard jacket left behind by me at Balve two weeks ago. This equipment was used for legitimate out-of-competition medical purposes at my home yard in the week prior to Balve and had no role or was it used in any way whatsoever at or in relation to the Balve show. Tests will show this conclusively.”
Britain’s Michael Whitaker was provisionally suspended on Friday by the Federation Equestre Internationale as his stallion Takeray had tested positive to traces of altrenogest, a hormone which can legally be administered to in-season mares, but not male horses.
Britain’s William Funnell recorded his third success in the Hickstead Derby yesterday riding the 15-year-old Mondriaan with the first clear round since 2004 and only the 50th in the competition’s 49-year history. On Saturday, Tipperary’s Trevor Breen was fastest in the event’s speed Derby on Karen Swann’s gelding Adventure de Kannan.
A single time penalty in the first round with Lady Georgina Forbes’s mare Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois prevented Jessica Kürten making it through to the jump-off in the Global Champions Tour on Saturday night in Monte Carlo where the winner was America’s Richard Spooner on Cristallo.
Yesterday, Dermott Lennon won the Grand Prix at Villamoura on Woods Rosbotham’s Hallmark Elite with Conor Swail slotting in to second place with Gold Digger.
