SOME of the world's greatest event riders will be heading to Waterford next year as it was announced that Camphire International Horse Trials will host the Irish leg of the 2019 FEI Eventing Nations Cup Series.

Established in 2012, the series runs from April to October each year and includes venues in Italy, Britain, Poland, France, Belgium. As ratified at the recent FEI General Assembly in Manama, Bahrain, Camphire will stage the fourth leg of the series from July 24th-29th 2019.

Millstreet, Ballindenisk (Co. Cork) and Tattersalls Ireland (Co. Meath) have previously hosted the Irish Nations Cup leg and attracted strong representation from Britain and France to contest the home nation. The 2019 FEI Eventing Nations Cup is likely to feature prominently in the competition schedules of countries seeking qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Ireland’s superb silver medal performance at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina last September saw them join six other nations in securing their tickets to Tokyo. The 2019 Nations Cup Series winners will be joining them in two years' time and with a number of European nations still seeking qualification, Camphire offers an opportunity to rack up valuable points on the overall leaderboard.

The FEI Eventing Nations Cup will take place in addition to the existing two, three and four-star level classes at Camphire which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2019. A favourite fixture on the calendar of many event riders based in Ireland and the UK, Camphire has also developed into an unmissable sporting and social event on the local diary, with thousands of visitors enjoying the Country Fair, shopping village and children’s activities that run alongside the equestrian action each year.

Camphire International Horse Trials director Paul Brady said: “It’s an honour to be bringing the Irish stage of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup to Waterford for the first time next July. The late Susie Dobbs had the vision of hosting world-class equestrian competition on the banks of the River Blackwater in this special part of Co. Waterford and 10 years on, we look forward to further enhancing and improving the Camphire experience for visitors and athletes from far and wide.”

FEI Eventing Nations Cup Calendar 2019

Leg 1 – Houghton Hall (GBR) May 23-26 2019

Leg 2 – Pratoni Del Vivaro (ITA) June 5-8 2019

Leg 3 – Strzegom (POL) June 27-30 2019

Leg 4 – Camphire Cappoquin (IRL) July 24-29 2019

Leg 5 – Le Pin au Haras (FRA) August 8-11 or 15-18 2019

Leg 6 – Waregem (BEL) Septemb er 19-22 2019

Leg 7 – Boekelo (NED) October 10-13 2019