THREE of Ireland’s Paris Olympics event riders will take on the challenge of the Badminton Horse Trials at the start of May, along with six other Irish riders.

Susie Berry, this time riding Clever Trick (ISH), Sarah Ennis this time with Grantstown Jackson (ISH) and Austin O’Connor riding his Olympic mount Colorado Blue are among the nine combinations accepted for the world renowned five-star event running from May 6th to 11th. Berry and Clever trick impressed last year as part of the gold medal winning Irish team at the Boekelo Nations Cup and O’Connor has five-star form, having won the Mars Maryland five-star in the US in October 2023 with his horse of a lifetime known as ‘Salty’.

Eventing eyes will be also be fixed on Wexford’s Lucy Latta riding RCA Patron Saint, after she pulled off a remarkable second-place finish at Badminton last year in what was not only her first time riding at the event, but her first ever five-star too.

Speaking from Thoresby Park in the UK, where many Irish riders are competing this weekend, Latta said she was hopeful for another good performance at Badminton.

Really excited

“I’m really excited to head back to Badminton, we had great luck there last year so hopefully we can put up another good performance,” she said. “I had my first run at Barbury Castle Horse Trials last weekend, which went well, a nice solid start to the season and then Thoresby this weekend for what will be probably my final run before Badminton, so fingers crossed all goes well and we can head there in good form.”

The first-timer of the bunch this year will be Jenny Kuehnle with Sammy Davis Junior (ISH), who were very impressive as part of the winning Nations Cup team at Millstreet International Horse Trials last year. London Olympian Joseph Murphy will travel to Badminton with his Aachen Nations Cup bronze medal-winning mount Calmaro, and is on the wait list with Belline Fighting Spirit.

The remaining three Irish riders entered are Daragh Byrne with Kilcannon Ramiro (ISH), Georgie Goss with Feloupe and Sam Watson with Ballyneety Rocketman (ISH).

Three other combinations waiting to hear if they will make it off the waitlist are Patrick Whelan with Ikoon Lan, Ian Cassells with Master Point (ISH) and Fred Scala with Everon Vivendi (ISH).