8th September 2001

Ireland returns to the U.S.A. circuit

By Michael Slavin

Following a long break of 23 years, the Irish team will return to the tough North American Circuit this Winter. As part of their 75th anniversary celebrations, Army riders from McKee Barracks will make up a large part of the side.

They will be carrying on a tradition that began away back in 1929 when our newly formed squad made their first ever trip across the Atlantic.

In this their 75th anniversary year of the Army Equitation School it is fitting enough that as many as possible of the McKee riders get a chance to raise the flag once more in Washington, New York and Toronto.

The great Army side of the thirties scored its first North American Nations Cup win at Toronto in 1931. They took the Boston cup in 1932; won at Toronto again in 1933 and then did the double of both New York and Toronto in 1935 and 1938.

Ireland's next North American win came at Harrisburg after the war in 1949. They took Toronto in 1951, New York in 1953 and both Harrisburg and New York in 1955. In the 46 years since then the Irish flag has never been raised at the end of a Cup on this winter circuit. The nearest we came was in 1978 when our side placed second in Madison Square Garden. Our team has not visited the circuit since then.

Individually our greatest successes included Michael Tubridy's winning of the Grand Prix of New York in 1950 on Rostrevor and Billy Ringrose doing the same at Harrisburg on Loch an Easpaig in1964.

Eddie Macken and the great Boomerang also won the New York Grand Prix in 1978. Eddie returned during the eighties and had good success in Toronto, where he was leading rider. Col Gerry Mullins also had an outing there in the eighties and he will now be sharing his experience with the McKee riders, who hope to make up the bulk of the side that travels to Washington, New York and Toronto between October 23 and November 11.

Both Washington and Toronto still stage Cups but the New York Cup has now been dropped in favour of a CSI format.

In line for places on the side are Cap. Gerry Flynn, Lt. Shane Carey and Lt. David O'Brien. But whatever spots McKee cannot fill will be taken up by civilian riders.

According to SJAI International Affairs Chairman Paul Duffy "our main aim is to field a strong side". So in addition to being a trip down memory lane for the Irish they will also be hoping to raise the tricolour on more than one occasion as well".