Daniel Coyle

Horse: Legacy (Chippendale Z x Bon Ami)

Breeder: Romain Rotty

Owner: Ariel Grange and Daniel Coyle

Form: Daniel’s first Olympic Games is coming aboard the mare that has defined his career and taken him to every championship so far (Europeans 2021, Worlds 2022). The 14-year-old mare kicked into sixth gear at the back end of 2023, when winning the five-star Grand Prix at the London International Horse Show. They then began 2024 with back-to-back five-star World Cup wins in Amsterdam and Leipzig, before returning to America, where they were part of the winning Irish team at the Longines League of Nations in Ocala, jumping double clear. Since then, they were 4/0 in the Nations Cup of Rome, and 0/4 on their last big outing in Rotterdam.

Daniel, who is ranked 11th in the world, said Legacy “found a new lease of life in the last six months” and he is staying in his own bubble in the lead-up as one of the talking combinations and teams of the Games. Daniel is based between Canada, where he rides for Ariel Grange’s Lothlorien Farm, and Derry where he is building up a farm. They have a real shot at a medal.

Cian O'Connor and Maurice in action for Ireland during the Longines League of Nations in Ocala \ Tiffany Van Halle

Cian O’Connor

Horse: Maurice (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve x Eros Platiere)

Breeder: Johan Jewet

Owner: Kiera and Sarah Stoute and Cian O’Connor

Form: Cian is the veteran of the team, with 13 championship appearances behind him and Paris will be his fourth Olympic Games. A master at finding a horse and peaking for a championship, he has three medals – individual bronze at London 2012, and Ireland’s only Olympic equestrian medal, plus team gold and individual bronze from the 2017 European Championships.

His partnership with Maurice is relatively new; he took up the reins on the 12-year-old gelding last October from the Turkish rider Omer Karaevli, with whom he competed at the 2023 FEI European Championships. Their first team appearance came later than month in Spain (double clear), before going to the USA, where they were runner-up in a five-star Grand Prix at WEF and clear in the Longines League of Nations in Ocala to win, followed by a double clear in the five-star Nations Cup of Rome. A man who loves team jumping and says that the Olympics has defined his career, Ireland’s most capped rider has jumped on eight teams already this year. He will be fighting hard to be a part of more Irish history.

Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz (ISH) jumped double clear and were part of the winning Irish team at CHIO Aachen \ Tomas Holcbecher

Shane Sweetnam

Horse: James Kann Cruz (ISH) (Kannan x Cruising)

Breeder: Patrick Connolly

Owner: Gizmo Partners and Shane Sweetnam

Form: This combination are hugely experienced, despite the Irish Sport Horse’s age of just 11. Shane was part of the gold medal-winning European team back in 2017 and this will be his second Olympic Games. As a nine-year-old, James Kann Cruz was part of the winning Aga Khan team and has been the talking horse around the world since he burst onto the scene with Shane, having been produced in Ireland by Francis Connors.

Their form has been excellent; they were part of the silver medal-winning team at the European Championships last year in Milan and part of the winning Nations Cup team in Vancouver, when jumping double clear, as well as numerous five-star Grand Prix placings. This year, they have been double clear in Rome and Aachen. You would hope this pair will be jumping all clear rounds for the team in Paris and a real team anchor.

Darragh Kenny and VDL Cartello at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games \ Tomas Holcbecher

Darragh Kenny (Alternate)

Horse: Cartello (Cartani 4 x Lord)

Breeder: Witt Pferdezucht

Owner: Heathman Farm and Darragh Kenny

Form: Darragh Kenny has been called up to his second Olympic Games, following the last minute withdrawal of Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro (ISH) this week, due to a small injury to the gelding. Kenny is a more than capable replacement, with the 17-year-old grey stallion, who finished 17th individually in Tokyo three years ago. Kenny took over the ride on the gelding in May 2021 and he was previously ridden by Irish riders, Cormac Hanley and Lorcan Gallagher.

The combination were then selected for the 2022 World Championships, but withdrew due to a small veterinary issue. They had a quiet 2023 campaign, before a strong start to the 2024 season, which saw them finish double clear and fourth in a five-star 1.60m Grand Prix in Wellington, followed by a sixth place finish a few weeks later. Their most recent result was ninth in the Rolex Grand Prix of Dinard just last week, so they will be ready to take on the biggest tracks in Paris. Kenny is so experienced at the highest level and will be ready to step up if called upon.

Irish show jumping team manager Michael Blake \ Sportsfile

High performance manager: Michael Blake

After working his way up through the sport, Michael Blake has been the senior show jumping high performance director since December 2019, taking over from Rodrigo Pessoa, who he was assistant to for three years before that. He guided the team to a silver medal at last year’s FEI European Championships and, this season, has been at the helm for 10 podium finishes in Nations Cup competition, including wins in Wellington, Ocala and Aachen.