HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI), the governing body for equestrian sport in Ireland, last Thursday hosted a medal reception at Druids Glen Hotel and Golf Resort in County Wicklow, to honour the outstanding sporting achievements of Irish equestrian athletes this year.
During the last 12 months, Irish equestrian athletes have won an incredible 12 World and European Championship medals at Senior and Youth level.
In September, the Irish Eventing team made history – winning the World Championship silver medal and an individual silver medal at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina in the USA and in the process gained Olympic qualification for Tokyo 2020.
Each of the Irish silver medal winning Eventing team were presented with specially commissioned trophies at the HSI medal reception, while gifts were also given to the owners of the Irish WEG team horses.
Irish Eventing team manager Sally Corscadden, show jumping coach to the Irish Eventing team Ian Fearon and Dressage coach to the Irish Eventing team Ian Woodhead, were named Coaches of the year after making history at the World Equestrian Games.
It was also a memorable year for Irish Show Jumping, as Irish horses and riders claimed gold, silver and bronze medals at the World Championships for Young Horses at Lanaken in Belgium.
Sligo’s Richard Howley and the Irish Sport Horse ‘Uppercourt Cappucino’ took the gold, with silver going to Darragh Ryan with ‘CSF Sir George’ (ISH) and bronze to Mikey Pender with ‘HHS Vancouver’ (ISH).
At Youth level, Irish riders claimed no less than seven team and individual medals at the Longines FEI European Championships.
