Ireland facing Super League relegation

By Michael Slavin

Having lost further ground in the Samsung League after two disappointing team performances last weekend in the Swedish and Belgian cups, Ireland faces the dismal prospect of being relegated to second class status in the proposed new Super League which is now certain to be inaugurated in 2003.

In the Swedish Cup at Falsterbo, our team of Denis Coakley, Cian O'Connor, Shane Carey and Robert Splaine placed fifth and picked up just two points. Meanwhile the side of Capt. Gerry Flynn, Shane Breen, Darragh Kearins and Edward Doyle dropped to eighth in the Belgian Cup at Lummen and gained no points.

The bottom line is that only the world's eight top points-gaining nations will make it into the Super League. They will be the only teams invited to the world's top eight shows like Aachen, Rome, Calgary, Hickstead, Rotterdam etc.

With a win in Lummen, Britain have now moved ahead of Ireland in the Samsung League table and we have been pushed out of the top eight. Our only hope of getting back in contention now depends on good performances at Hickstead next week and the Kerrygold Horse Show (Aug. 7-11). After that we might gain some points in Rotterdam and Calgary. If necessary we could make a final bid in Zagreb and Athens where this year's League points gaining will end.

Whatever points we have after Athens in October will be added to points we get from the World Equestrian Games in Spain to determine if we have made it into the top eight in the world for the 2003 campaign.

In the Samsung League the points will be awarded as follows down to 10th place: 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Then in the World Equestrian Games, the top 10 teams there will get double points - 28, 14, 20, 16, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2. Each county's points from these two sources will be added together, revealing the top eight for the 2003 Super League in October.

So now, just as in the world of soccer, the pressure is on to qualify for this Super League, which may hold the key to the future of international show jumping. Ireland has a battle on its hands to be in at the start.

€250,000 for Olympic preparation

The Irish Sports Council has awarded €250,000 to Irish equestrianism towards the cost of its preparation for the Athens Olympics in 2004. This is part of its High Performance programme and equestrian sport is now expected to select between 20 and 30 horse rider combinations to begin preparations for Athens.

When you divide up the money among that many, it may not go very far and further input will certainly be needed from other sources. It will be interesting to see just how the money will be divided up among the various disciplines. But more important than that will be the battle to have Ireland qualify its teams for the Olympics.

This will have to be done through placing in the top six at the World Equestrian Games or in next year's European Championships. For the show jumpers there is also the question of getting into the Super League, which will allow it compete at major shows such as Aachen and Calgary.