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Late shake up for Ireland’s European Showjumping Championships team as Cian O’Connor is replaced

Jennifer Donald Jennifer Donald

    • Ireland has made a late change to its showjumping team for this week’s European Showjumping Championships in A Coruña, Spain (16-20 July).

    Olympic and European medallist Cian O’Connor had been named on Michael Blake’s five-man Irish squad for these championships, but it was announced on Friday (10 July) that: “Ireland has made a change in personnel for the FEI Jumping European Championship, with Denis Lynch replacing Cian O’Connor.”

    Denis has been selected with the 12-year-old stallion Vistogrand.

    Michael Blake told H&H that, “Denis was always going to be the one to come in if someone came out”.

    The pair’s second European Showjumping Championships

    Denis Lynch and Vistogrand jumped as individuals at the 2023 European Championships in Milan, Italy, and have been core to several other Irish team successes, including winning at the Longines League Of Nations in Abu Dhabi, UAE earlier this year.

    “I’m excited to be called up for the European Championship and I thank Michael Blake for giving me the opportunity to link up with the squad in A Coruña,” said Denis. “To represent your country at a major championship like this is up there with the highest honour and we will be going there to do everything we can to try to help the team win a gold medal.”

    Ireland’s final four for A Coruña

    The four combinations now representing Ireland in the team competition at the FEI Jumping European Championships are:

    Ireland’s fifth squad member is as follows:

    • Daniel Coyle with Ariel Grange’s Legacy

    The European Championships begins on Wednesday (16 July) at 2pm BST with an opening field of 87 competitors in action in the first leg.

    • To stay up to date with all the news from the European Showjumping Championships as it happens, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website today from just £1 a week. Our reporter Eleanor Jones will be on site throughout

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    Jennifer Donald
    Jennifer Donald

    H&H showjumping editor
    Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
    Jennifer Donald

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