The Equestrian Federation of Ireland have hit back in the selection row that followed Friday's Aga Khan Cup.
Irish rider Harry Marshall has insisted that he will never again ride in an Irish team alongside Cian O'Connor, after he blamed O'Connor for his last minute exclusion from the team.
Marshall claims O'Connor used his influence to have Shane Carey included in the team at his expense. He also claims that he was told on Thursday that he would be part of the team only to be told shortly afterwards that the decision had been reversed.
"They told me at six o'clock I was on the team and they told me at seven o'clock I wasn't - that was after the Army kicked up and Cian O'Connor said he wouldn't jump on the team if Shane Carey wasn't on it," Marshall told the Irish Times.
However, the EFI have played down these claims and in a statement released today, said: "The EFI greatly regrets the statement made by show jumper Harry Marshall that he will not jump on future Super League Irish Nations' Cup teams this season."
"This comes at a time when Ireland faces possible relegation from the Samsung Super League, with the serious implications this has for all our top riders and for the industry in Ireland, and when every rider and horse is needed to strengthen our teams."
"It is not the responsibility of the individual riders to decide who does, or does not, jump on any of the senior teams," the statement continued.
"Nor is it proper for a rider to withdraw their name from possible future selection if they are unhappy that they themselves were not selected for a particular team. This type of behaviour would make the sport ungovernable, were it allowed to continue."
To further compound the problems in Irish show jumping, - Tom Slattery and Liam Buckley quit the selector's committee after a meeting called to discuss the controversy.
Marshall's decision to boycott the Irish team comes in the wake of Jessica Kurten's refusal to compete alongside O'Connor, who was stripped of the gold medal he won with Waterford Crystal at the Athens Olympic after his horse failed a doping test.
