IRELAND'S show jumping manager Robert Splaine today (Thursday) announced his five-man squad for the Aga Khan Trophy competition at next month's Discover Ireland Horse Show.
From the squad of five Splaine will pick four combinations as his team in the days before the Nations' Cup.
His squad selection is:
Cameron Hanley/Antello Z
Cian O'Connor/Blue Loyd or Cooper
Conor Swail/Lansdowne
Dermott Lennon/Loughview Lou Lou (ISH)
Shane Breen/Balloon
Splaine said today: "Cameron Hanley is a top rider at championship level who has just returned from a two year injury lay-off with great success. He was part of the Irish team that won the Nations' Cup at Calgary in Canada recently and he also won the Grand Prix at Wiesbaden in Germany.
"Cian O'Connor and Blue Loyd need no introduction, as they won Ireland's Olympic bronze medal at London last year. Cian is coming to Dublin double-handed, for he is also bringing a fantastic new horse, Cooper, who did very well at the recent five star show in Aachen, Germany.
"Conor Swail and Lansdowne were also part of the winning Nations' Cup five weeks ago in Canada and just last Sunday they won the prestigious Pan American Cup Grand Prix at the same venue.
"Dermott Lennon and the Irish-bred Loughview Lou Lou had two counting scores at the Nations' Cup in Aachen last month, and the following week they won the Grand Prix at Geesteren in Holland.
"Shane Breen and Balloon have been part of our Superleague Nations' Cup campaign to date, jumping for Ireland at La Baule, St. Gallen and Aachen, and they delivered rounds that counted in all three competitions. They were also well placed in Aachen's Grand Prix."
"All five have jumped on Nations' Cups before and I believe we are privileged to be able to defend our title from last year's Aga Khan at the world's greatest show here in Dublin, and I believe we can win."
Dublin is the final leg of the 2013 Furusiyya Nations' Cup and the last one at which Ireland can gain points to make sure of qualification for September's Final at Barcelona. Ireland currently lies in fourth position on the Division 1 table, and the top six teams, after the Dublin points have been added, qualify for the final.