Ireland drawn one for five-star Aachen Nations Cup

The Underwriting Exchange Irish Senior Show Jumping Team has been drawn to jump first of ten nations for the CSIO5* Nations Cup in Aachen tomorrow evening.

HSI High Performance Show Jumping Director Michael Blake’s quartet of Denis Lynch with Vistogrand, Bertram Allen with Pacino Amiro (ISH), Shane Sweetnam with James Kann Cruz (ISH) and Cian O’Connor with Fancy De Kergane will jump in the final five-star outing before the Paris Olympics.

The Irish Senior team has been in fine form this season as they gear towards Paris, finishing on top of the Longines League of Nations Series Standings ahead of the final in Barcelona in October.

Blake said: “Aachen is a great venue to jump in and I’m really happy to be here with these four combinations. The horses have all settled in nicely and are ready to go.

”They are top class riders and they’re on horses who we know can do well so it’s going to be exciting.

”The draw hasn’t been kind to us but Denis Lynch has a wealth of experience and I’m sure he will set the rest of the lads up nicely – it should be a great Nations Cup.”

The Underwriting Exchange Irish Senior Show Jumping Team, in alphabetical order, for the CSIO5* Nations Cup, Aachen is as follows:

• Bertram Allen with Pacino Amiro (ISH)
• Denis Lynch with Vistogrand
• Cian O’Connor with Fancy De Kergane
• Shane Sweetnam with James Kann Cruz (ISH)

BREEDING:

Pacino Amiro (ISH) – 2012 gelding by Pacino (BWP) out of Carnone Dancing Queen (ISH) by NC Amiro (AES). Breeder: Simon Scott, Co. Donegal. Owner: Ballywalter Stables. Rider: Bertram Allen (IRL).

James Kann Cruz (ISH) – 2013 gelding by Kannan (KWPN) out of CSF Telly Cruz (ISH) by Cruising (ISH)[TIH]. Breeder: Patrick Connolly. Owner: Gizmo Partners LLC. Rider: Shane Sweetnam (IRL)

The Irish Show Jumping team is sponsored by The Underwriting Exchange

Charles Ancona – Official athlete clothing supplier to HSI’s Senior Olympic programmes

Bucas – official supplier to the Irish High Performance programme

The Irish High Performance Show Jumping Programme is exclusively funded by Sport Ireland