Margie McLooneon the return of a legend to the Ireland team for the Samsung Super League at Hickstead, where he enjoyed many great days.
RUMOURS OF a return to the Ireland squad by show jumping legend Eddie Macken proved correct when a statement was issued by Horse Sport Ireland early yesterday.
The 59-year-old, now based in Canada, has been selected by team manager Robert Splaine for the next round of the Samsung Super League on July 25th. This will be held in Hickstead, scene of the rider's record four consecutive triumphs in the famed Hickstead Derby.
Longford-born Macken has recently produced some good results with the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Tedechine September, prompting his selection for the squad following 10 years' absence from the Ireland team.
"Even though Eddie's horse had good consistent form this year, it was his most recent good result in the $200,000 (€126,700) Grand Prix in Spruce Meadows (Macken finished seventh) in Calgary on June 7th that brought me to this decision," explained Splaine.
"Eddie has always shown tremendous commitment to the Ireland team and he is really looking forward to being involved".
Speaking from Spruce Meadows, Macken said: "I'm delighted to have the chance to be on an Irish team again.
"The reality is that past achievements count for nothing in the ring but the horse is going very well and if she travels over well I'm confident we can make a contribution.
"The Samsung Super League is a massive competition and it's great that Ireland is involved this year. Only the top eight teams are in it and I think Robert Splaine and the team deserve more credit than they are getting.
"In how many other sports are we in the top eight in the world?" he said.
The Hickstead Super League round is only two weeks before the Aga Khan trophy competition at the Dublin Horse Show, where Macken could be included as a member of Ireland's Aga Khan team.
"That is entirely a matter for Robert Splaine," said the rider. "At present I am focusing on Hickstead. As I will be in Europe at that time, I had already intended jumping in Dublin as an individual."
Macken has already jumped on 28 Aga Khan teams at the RDS where he competed for 30 consecutive years, the last time being in 2000. He was also chef d'equipe to the team who won the trophy in 2004, the same year that he acted as team coach for Ireland's Olympic show jumping team at Athens.
As a rider, he represented Ireland at the Olympics in Barcelona and Atlanta, and dominated the World Rider Rankings for most of the 1970s.
The Derby meeting takes place at Hickstead this weekend, with the €152,000 feature rounding off the action tomorrow afternoon.
Yesterday, Ireland's Shane Breen on Little Ear finished sixth in the Derby trial behind Britain's Jo Pay, who recorded the only completely faultless round on Randi's Gold. New Zealander Grant Wilson jumped clear but incurred one time penalty with Refallo.
In the morning's Camardo speed Derby qualifier, Galway's Olive Clarke finished third on Michael Duignan's Cruising gelding Starbroad in a time of 88.48. The class was won by the Belgian pairing of Jan Motmans and Kaoline de Noron in 81.87.
