Sport

Ireland will have a show jumping team at the 2020 Olympics

Irish team win Longines FEI Nations’ Cup final in Catalonia to secure qualification

Ireland’s last show jumping team to compete at an Olympics was at Athens in 2004. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Ireland’s last show jumping team to compete at an Olympics was at Athens in 2004. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Sun Oct 06 2019 - 16:51

Ireland will have a show jumping team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo after winning the Longines FEI Nations’ Cup final in Barcelona on Sunday.

The Rodrigo Pessoa-managed team of Darragh Kenny (Balou du Reventon), Peter Moloney (Chianti's Champion), Cian O'Connor (PSG Final) and Paul O'Shea (Skara Glen's Machu Picchu) claimed the sole Olympic team place on offer when finishing on a score of one as Belgium, the recently crowned European champions, finished second on four faults.

Belgium finished ahead of Sweden in third, Italy in fourth and France in fifth place while Germany, Switzerland and Colombia completed the eight-nation line-up.

Ireland’s last show jumping team to compete at an Olympics was at Athens in 2004 and Sunday’s qualification means that, for the first time, Ireland will have equestrian teams at the 2020 Olympics in eventing, dressage and show jumping.