Equestrian News: Cian O'Connor has been named on the longlist for the Samsung Super League fixture in Hickstead at the end of next month, but the Kildare show jumper won't be competing at the European championships, which take place in Italy the week before.
O'Connor received a three-month ban after his gold medal horse Waterford Crystal tested positive for banned substances at the Athens Olympics. The ban expires on July 10th, just over a fortnight before Hickstead.
"We need to save our good horses for the Super League", chairman of selectors Taylor Vard told The Irish Times yesterday. "We're putting the Super League before the European championships. The Europeans won't qualify us for anything, for the Olympics or any major championships, but if we drop out of the Super League we might not get back in for years."
The longlist for Hickstead, which will be reduced to a five-strong squad when entries close on July 6th, is made up of O'Connor, Denis Lynch, Clem McMahon, Marie Burke, Dave Quigley, Captain Shane Carey, Darragh Kerins, Peter Charles and Shane Breen.
The quartet of Jessica Kürten, world champion Dermott Lennon, Harry Marshall and Robert Splaine will fly the flag at the European championships. Darragh Kerins had originally been named on the squad, but his horse Nabucco is not qualified. A fifth name may be added later.
