EQUESTRIAN: The Irish three-day eventing squad at the world equestrian games in Germany was reduced to just four yesterday when Mark Kyle's horse Drunken Disorderly failed the veterinary inspection in Aachen, writes Grania Willis.
The 16-year-old gelding, which won last year's Hickstead Eventing Grand Prix, was lame last Friday with a corn in a front foot, but had improved sufficiently by Monday for Kyle to gamble on taking the grey to Germany.
"He had a corn and a bit of pus in his off-fore last week, but he was fine on Monday when we left and fine when he arrived, but he wasn't quite 100 per cent after I worked him yesterday," Kyle said from Aachen last night.
Drunken Disorderly's elimination means team trainer Lars Christensson will work with just Lt Geoff Curran (Balladeer Alfred), Niall Griffin (Lorgaine), Michael Ryan (Old Road) and Sarah Wardell (Kincluny).
In the pure dressage, Germany won team gold, but Denmark's Andreas Helgstrand heads the individual from Tuesday's overnight leader, Heike Kemmer of Germany.
Neither Irish rider made the top-30 cut for the Grand Prix Speciale; Anna Merveldt was 47th overall, Judy Reynolds 71st.
