I don’t believe I have ever seen such excitement over the winning of a Golden Ticket since Charlie won the Golden Ticket in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. However yesterday Irish Equestrians felt that real excitement when our Irish Showjumping Team Delivered the Golden Tokyo Ticket.
The Irish Showjumping Team managed by Rodrigo Pessoa have taken the last available qualification Ticket to Tokyo 2020. The Irish Team not content with just qualifying decided to take it one step further, by winning the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final at the CSIO Barcelona 2019.
The Irish were in top form, and the team were focused on the job at hand and the riders knew what had to be done to secure the Tokyo ticket, heading into Sunday’s, Longines FEI Nations Cup Final at the CSIO Barcelona.
First in for the Irish, Peter Moloney had just 4 faults on Chianti’s Champion, this round was followed by a super clear from Paul O’Shea and Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu. When our third rider, Darragh Kenny produced another clear round on the fabulous Stallion Balou Du Reventon, adding just a time fault, there was no doubt that the Irish Team was in Great Shape. Belgium was still in the lead but, with faults from both the Italian and Columbian Riders, it meant that the Irish Showjumping Team had secured their Tokyo 2020 Ticket before the last Irish rider had even entered the ring.
Last to go for Ireland was Cian O’Connor and PSG Final, who produced another cracking clear round, which left the Irish Team in a very strong position. However, it still looked like we would be taking the runner up slot to Belgium, the reigning champions, in this Longines FEI Nations Cup Final.
The final Rider to enter the ring for Belgium was Gregory Wathelet and the stallion MJT Nevados S. This combination looked certain to go clear, but an unlucky run out meant that the Irish Showjumping Team were crowned the Winners of the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final at the CSIO Barcelona 2019.
Ireland Achieved a couple of Historic Events yesterday, Sunday 6th of October 2019, the first, was winning the Longines FEI Nations Cup Final, and secondly, with the Showjumping Team Tokyo 2020 Ticket secure, for first time in History Ireland will have three Equestrian Teams in different disciplines at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics; Ireland will be fielding Teams in; Eventing, Dressage and now Showjumping.
Onwards and Upwards, for the Irish Equestrians, with each passing year, our Irish Riders and their horses have been building on past successes to achieve new heights, with that said, Tokyo 2020 here we come or as they say in Japanese, Tōkyō ni kimashita//東京に来ました.
Lastly from Irish Sport Horse Magazine, can we say a very Special Congratulations to two of the Irish Showjumping Team that we have had the pleasure of chatting to over the Past 12 months and who were kind enough to take some time out of their busy schedules to share their stories; Special Congratulations from All the Team here at Irish Sport Horse Magazine to Darragh Kenny who was our Cover and Star Interview in February 2019 and also to Paul O’Shea who was our Cover and Star Interview of July 2019.