Full Team of Irish Sport Horses To Represent GBR In Odense Nations Cup

Great Britain's Nations Cup team that will be competing this Friday 16th May at Odense, Denmark, CSIO3* has been confirmed. All four team members are mounted on Irish Sport Horses.

Jessie Drea returns to Denmark riding Touchable (ISH) with whom she made her Nations Cup debut on in Copenhagen one year ago. The now 22 year old rider has recorded top results since then with her 13 year old mare Touchable including 2nd in the Lisbon CSIO3* Nations Cup, 2nd in the Wettenhall CSI3* Grand Prix (behind Ireland's Billy Twomey) and winning the Les Talent Hermès Under 25 team competition. By James Kernan's Olympic Games mount Touchdown, Touchable was bred in County Kildare by Dr. Noel Cawley out of his Irco Mena mare Irco Rain.

Holly Gilliot has been named with her Irish Sport Horse Dougie Douglas (ISH). Together they showed their worthiness of selection on Sunday, 4th May, by winning the Chepstow CSI2* Grand Prix on the back of a successful Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera. Bred in County Limerick by John O'Brien, Dougie Douglas is a 2005 gelding by Ard VDL Douglas out of Neils Girl, by High Roller.

A Touch Imperious (ISH) and 24 year old Harriet Nuttall are also Denmark bound. Another by Touchdown, Monaghan's Leo Rice bred the 10 year old gelding out of the Cavalier Royale mare Cavimperius. This year has seen Harriet Nuttall and A Touch Imperious being placed in classes in Vilamoura, Oliva and most recently Maubeuge.

The fourth team member with an Irish Sport Horse is Tim Page who rides Santa Cruise II (ISH). Sired by Robert Whitaker's Junior and Young Rider European Championship team gold medalist Randi, Santa Cruise II was also bred in Co. Kildare, this time by McCann's Hartwell Stud. The 10 year old grey gelding is out of the mare Tamerarra by Hartwell Stud resident sire Cruising.

All four Irish Sport Horses on Team GBR for the Odense CSIO3* Nations Cup were sold at various times through Gorsebridge Horse Sales in County Kilkenny.

Speaking of the news Martin Donohoe of Gorsebridge Horse Sales added " I am delighted to note that the entire British Squad are mounted on Goresbridge graduates and this confirms that Goresbridge is equally a source of world class show jumpers as it has been proved to be for eventers in recent years".

Team GBR Chef d'Equipe for the Danish event is Di Lampard who is no stranger to the Irish Sport Horse. Together with the Irish Sport Horse Abbervail Dream Di Lampard competed on over 30 Nations Cup teams for Great Britain, two European Championships and two World Championships taking Team Bronze in Rome 1998.