Sport

Ireland in contention for one of three Olympic qualifying slots

Team are currently sixth in European show jumping championships in Rotterdam

Best of the Irish individually is Offaly’s Darragh Kenny. Photograph: Inpho

Margie McLoone
Thu Aug 22 2019 - 12:51

Ireland goes into Thursday’s second competition in the European show jumping championships in Rotterdam lying sixth (10.36 faults) of the 15 competing nations and in contention for one of three Olympic qualifying slots.

The lead is currently held by Germany on a score of 4.22 followed by France (5.39), who too are bidding to qualify for Tokyo, and Sweden (6.81). Also seeking Olympic qualification at these championships are Britain, who are lying fourth on 9.41, Belgium (11.07), Denmark (16.65) and Italy (16.74).

The opening competition was a 1.50m speed class while the second is a two-round 1.60m class. Best of the Irish individually is Offaly's Darragh Kenny with Balou du Reventon (1.78). He is followed by Cork's Shane Sweetnam on Alejando (3.83), Waterford's Peter Moloney on Chianti's Champion (4.75) and Meath's Cian O'Connor with PSG Final (6.26).

Just one of Ireland's three-strong team competed on the opening day of the European para dressage championships. Michael Murphy (Skjoldsgaard Hippovo) finished 12th on 67.357 per cent in his Grade 1 test where the Gold medal went to Norway's Jens-Lasse Dokkan riding Aladdin (75.036).

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Kildare native Judy Reynolds is the only Irish dressage rider competing in Thursday's Grand Prix Special and is due to enter the Rotterdam arena on Vancouver K at 20.30 local time.

Derry's Daniel Coyle began week two at the Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, Canada with a 1-2 finish in Wednesday's 1.50m jump-off class on the Ariel Grange-owned pair of Cita (36.88) and Farrel (37.48). Co Down's Conor Swail was third with Vanessa Mannix's GK Coco Chanel (38.64).

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