As the daily papers in Ireland continue to carry stories of the arguements between Irish riders at the senior international level, there is a loud message coming through that the riders have lost faith in the selection process and that is a bad sign for the future of Irish Showjumping.

Denis Lynch is quoted in the Irish Field saying that he is seriously considering riding for Germany because he believes that he has been overlooked once too often now for Senior International competition and he does not believe this is fair to his very generous sponsor/owner.

At the moment most senior riders are saying nothing in the media - are they concerned that speaking out will further lower their chances of selection? If so then perhaps the "perceived" selection issues are more real than perceived!?

The following letter came into our offices today and it carries the same message of doom as that received from Aiden Devine -

"I Paul Larkin of Larkin Bros International Ltd, know exactly how Mr Devine feels. In 2005 our Irish-bred mare Ado Annie was selected to jump in the Aga Khan team in Dublin; I got phone calls from Harry Marshall and Edward Doyle to confirm that the mare was selected to jump in the four for the Irish team, I was delighted, because she was an Irish Bred mare that had done a lot for our business of selling Irish horses to America and she had competed in three World Cup finals. It was a dream come true to be an owner of an Irish horse to compete in the Dublin Horse Show and especially the Aga Khan. (I am still currently breeding from her dam).

Later that evening I was informed that, after pressure from a rider was put on the Chef d’Equipe of the Irish team for the show, Harry Marshall and Ado Annie were not jumping as they had been bumped from the team. Apparently the Chef d'Equipe couldn’t remember the team he had earlier picked. Mr Tom Slattery and Mr Liam Buckley resigned and walked out of the meeting due to their perception of what had happened during the "selection process". So I can under stand Mr Devine's concerns that some riders are trying to bully their way on to as many teams as possible. (as he suggests in his own letter on this website). Instead of picking the best team available, it appears that personal agendas are dictating selection. Is this why we are out of the Super League and Olympics? (Please don’t say we are looking forward to London 2012!!!).

Will it be too late in a few years when owners and breeders don’t want to support show jumping? As far as I understand it takes breeders and owners to keep show jumping alive, and sponsorship to make the shows happen. Does bad publicity in show jumping attract new sponsorship? We need to wake up before it’s too late. Or is it already too late and the sport in Ireland is in terminal decline?

Aiden , I believe you when you say its hard for you and "others to have faith in Show Jumping in Ireland and to continue supporting the sport if it appears corrupt to the core".

Concerned LARKIN BROS INT ltd

Supporters, buyers and breeders of Irish Sport Horses."