GAIN Equine Nutrition and Alltech have renewed their partnership for the fourth consecutive season, once again sponsoring the prestigious National Grand Prix. A cornerstone of the Irish show jumping industry, the National Grand Prix League attracts the ambitions of many talented show jumpers throughout the season.

This year’s launch event took place at Parc Stables in Co Clare, the home of European gold medallists Rhys and Coen Williams, both of whom have competed in this league on numerous occasions.

Rhys Williams, European Gold Medallist and International Show jumper said: “I have been following The National Grand Prix series for a number of years now and it’s a great series to follow. It has been a really good stepping stone for our seven and eight-year-old horses, as it gets them used to Grand Prix level after jumping young horse classes for a number of years.”

The National Grand Prix is a very good foundation in preparation for Junior Nations’ Cup competitions and European Championships, explained European Gold Medallist Coen Williams: “I aim to do as many legs of the National Grand Prix as I can this year. The series is a very similar height to the junior competitions, and this helps in my preparation.”

Prize fund

The sponsorship guarantees a minimum prize fund of €4,000 per leg, and ensures the continuation of live streaming and video coverage of the league. The ultimate winners of the league will be rewarded generously, with the winning combination taking home €3,000 alongside a tonne of GAIN Equine Nutrition products. The runner-up combination will receive €2,000, while the third-place combination will be awarded €1,000.

Philip Gilligan, Irish Country Manager at GAIN Equine Nutrition, said: “The Irish Sport Horse sector holds significant importance to GAIN Equine Nutrition and, through this sponsorship, we aim to highlight our dedication to the industry on a national scale.

“The GAIN Alltech National Grand Prix League, renowned for its popularity and widespread presence across the country during the summer months, presents an ideal opportunity for us to demonstrate our support alongside Alltech.”

Eddie Phelan, Commercial Manager at Alltech, said: “Alltech are delighted once again to support the National Grand Prix. It’s a fantastic competition that showcases the very best of Irish show jumping. Alltech are committed to supporting the development of Irish horses and riders across the country and one of the highlights of this competition is how much of the country it covers. At Alltech, we know how important it is to get nutrition right for your horse all year round but especially at competition time and we are grateful to have the chance to work with some of the top Irish equestrians on their horses’ nutrition through this competition.”

Tony Hurley, Showjumping Ireland Munster Region Chairman, said: “The National Grand Prix League has successfully launched the careers of many of our top National and International riders and horses and continues to be a vitally important league to the sport and industry. Showjumping Ireland is very grateful to GAIN Equine Nutrition and Alltech for their long-term support and investment in this top-class competition. Showjumping Ireland is looking forward to working with GAIN and Alltech throughout the season.”