Tipperary's Shane Breen made a successful start to the indoor show jumping season when landing the 1.50m speed class in Oslo on Friday evening.
Twelve of the 44 starters went clear inside the time with Breen, who was the only Irish rider to do so, winning in 65.09 on the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion Golden Hawk. Germany’s Christian Kukuk finished second on Lacasino (65.58) with the USA’s Wilton Porter placing third on Caletto Cabana (66.06).
The feature class of the five-star Norwegian show, the opening leg of the 2018/2019 Longines FEI World Cup, takes place on Sunday. It will be contested by Breen, fellow Tipperary rider Denis Lynch, Galway's Michael Duffy and Offaly's Darragh Kenny.
Following a day off due to bad weather, competition resumed in Tryon, North Carolina on Friday when the 1.40m speed class was won by Ireland’s David O’Brien riding Spy Coast Farms’ Kir Royal SCF.
In eventing, Ireland is lying seventh of the nine competing countries in the final FEI Nations’ Cup of the season taking place in Boekelo, The Netherlands this weekend.
Ahead of Saturday's cross-country phase, the Irish quartet of World team silver medallists Sarah Ennis (Woodcourt Garrison) and Sam Watson (Tullabeg Flamenco) plus Brian Morrison (Global Milchem JJ) and Nations' Cup rookie Meabh Bolger (Killossery Athletic Touch) are on a score of 104.80 penalties. Germany on 80, holds a narrow lead over Britain (80.70) and The Netherlands (82.10).
In the individual standings, the host nation's Tim Lips leads after dressage on Bayro (19.20 penalties) ahead of Germany's Julia Krajewski with Samourai du Thot (22.60) and Britain's Laura Collett riding London 52 (23.10). Best of the Irish at this stage is Co Armagh's Declan Cullen who is in 33rd place on his wife Becky's Seavaghan Ash (32.20), an eye-catching 13-year-old skewbald gelding by Glenhill Gold.
