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Ireland target Tokyo spot as team named for Europeans

Rodrigo Pessoa: "This is what we have been waiting for now for a while."
Rodrigo Pessoa: "This is what we have been waiting for now for a while."

Rodrigo Pessoa is targeting qualification for the Olympics after naming the Irish Show Jumping squad for this month's crucial Longines FEI European Championships in Rotterdam.

Ireland will arrive at the Dutch venue as reigning European Champions, having taken the team gold medal in Gothenburg two years ago.

This will be the second-last opportunity for teams to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games, and manager Pessoa wants to seize it.

"We are aware of the importance of this event," said the Brazilian.

"This is what we have been waiting for now for a while. We have prolonged this by not qualifying [for the Olympic Games] last year so this is now our chance to do it."

The 2018 World Equestrian Games saw USA, Sweden. Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Australia take the six Olympic places on offer.

That leaves several top teams, including Great Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Ireland, scrapping at the Europeans, where just three more Olympic team spots are up for grabs.

One final Olympic team qualification place will be on offer at October's FEI Nations Cup World final in Barcelona.

The European Championships begin on Wednesday 21 August.

IRELAND SQUAD 
Darragh Kenny
with Balou du Reventon - owned by Ann Thompson
Peter Moloney with Chianti’s Champion - owned by Team Harmony
Cian O’Connor with PSG Final – owned by Ronnoco Jump Ltd
Paul O’Shea with Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu – owned by Machu Picchu Partners LLC
Shane Sweetnam with Alejandro – owned by Seabrook LLC


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