AGNELLI Motor Park, Dublin and Jeep Ireland have announced that they have joined forces with Eventing Ireland’s number one event rider, Olympian Joseph Murphy, as official Ambassador.

AGNELLI Motor Park, Dublin and Jeep Ireland have announced that they have joined forces with Eventing Ireland’s number one event rider, Olympian Joseph Murphy,  as official Ambassador.

No stranger to horse power, Murphy and his team will be on the ‘Road to Rio’ with a different type of horse power. To be precise, the international rider will be  discovering what 247 of them feel like – after taking delivery of a new Jeep Grand Cherokee and a stylish, trendy yard run-around – The Fiat 500, while his Olympic mount and future stars will have the luxury of being transported in the all new Fiat Ducato, two stall, Annard coach built transporter.

Dealer principal, Michael Kerslake said: “We are delighted to have Joseph as a brand ambassador. After extensive research into  the Irish sporting industry Joseph’s name came out on top every time – it really was a no brainer for us. World number one, William Fox Pitt is Global brand ambassador for Jeep and it is this calibre of sportsperson that we want to be associated with. The fact that Joseph is ranked number one in Ireland and also quickly climbing the world rankings makes it an exciting partnership.”

Located on Dublin’s Walkinstown Avenue and Naas Road Junction, Agnelli Motor Park is ideally positioned to offer customers the best experience, whether in Sales, Service, Parts or Accident repair. Now diversifying into the equestrian market with the two stall equine transport as well as the recently launched Grand Cherokee Business Utility Vehicle which is exclusively available from Agnelli Motor Park. The five seat Business utility gives drivers the best of both worlds for both business and pleasure.

Naturally thrilled, Joseph  said: “I am extremely proud to be the ambassador for Agnelli Motor Park and the Jeep brand in Ireland.  I am very fortunate to have super equine-related sponsors and to land an amazing deal like this is the icing on the cake – an early Christmas present! I am looking forward to an exciting year ahead and I know the Jeep Grand Cherokee and it’s four-wheel drive capability is going to be very useful, as will the other vehicles – the Fiat Ducato two stall Horse transporter is invaluable in our yard for trips to the vets and gallops and it’s so handy it even gets the odd airport run. I am now spoilt for choice!

“We had a tour of the super stylish showrooms at Agnelli Motor Park and my wife Jill has put in her New Year order, it’s a great place to do a bit of Christmas shopping!!

You can find out more by visiting  www.agnelli.ie, phone 01 42 66 000 – or call into the showrooms for a test drive. Visit www.irishhorsetv.com to watch the launch.

The Mullingar rider also took the trophy for best cross country round of the competition.

Murphy, riding the Irish Sport Horse Sportsfield Othello, had three fences down in the final show jumping phase to complete the event on a total penalty score of 68.2, just over 24 points adrift of German winner Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob.

The Irish rider had been lying in second place overnight with another Irish Sport Horse, Electric Cruise, but suffered a blow to his hopes this morning when the gelding was withdrawn at the trot up as a result of an injury to its hind leg sustained during the previous day’s challenging cross country course. Though the injury was not deemed a long term problem it was nevertheless sufficient to prevent the horse being entered for the show jumping competition.

Murphy was therefore left with his now third-placed horse, Sportsfield Othello, owned by Jill Murphy, Alison Schmutz and Andrew Tinkler, to take on some of the world’s best combinations for the final leg of the French event, and managed to return one of Ireland’s best scores in recent years at a four-star fixture.

Pau was the opening leg of the 2014/2015 FEI Classics series, and is one of only six four-star events to feature in the world’s eventing calendar.

Badminton, which is officially Britain’s largest outdoor sporting event, sees the cream of international talent vying for the coveted Mitsubishi Trophy over four days of top class competition.

A total of 83 horses from 14 nations will take part in the four-star event, and Ireland’s representatives are:

Mark Kyle with Coolio (ISH)
Austin O’Connor with Ringwood Mississippi (ISH)
Capt. Geoff Curran with Shanaclough Crecora (ISH)
Sarah Ennis with Sugar Brown Babe (ISH)
Joseph Murphy with Sportsfield Othello (ISH)
Jim Newsam with Magennis (ISH)
Clare Abbott with Euro Prince (ISH)

All seven Irish horses have now passed the veterinary inspection and are set to start two days of dressage, which will then be followed on Saturday by competition on Badminton’s new-look cross country course, and finishing with the crucial show jumping phase on Sunday, when the winner will be decided.

Aside from the seven Irish Sport Horses, a further 25 Irish-bred horses will be on the start list for Badminton’s 65th year.

Mark Kyle and Sarah Ennis are the first of the Irish contingent to compete on Thursday, with the remaining five undertaking their dressage tests on Friday.

Ireland’s Aoife Clark, who is not competing at the event this year, finished in an impressive eighth place at Badminton in 2013 on the Irish Sport Horse Master Crusoe.

Live coverage of the cross country and show jumping phases will be available on the FEI’s official video platform FEI TV (www.feitv.org), with cross country on BBC television (Red Button) and cross country highlights and live broadcast of show jumping on BBC2 television on Sunday.

Joseph will be demonstrating various exercises which riders can utilise to improve their horses during the winter months.

The demonstration will consist of two hour long sessions.  Triple medallist Harold Megahey will ride in the first session and experienced rider Ron Schaeffer will demonstrate in the second session.   Each session will include a question and answer session with Joseph.

The demonstration will cost £10 per person which can be paid on the night and will include entry to a raffle with prizes including a lesson with Joseph at one of his clinics and a Christmas Hamper.

Doors open at 6:30pm with the demonstration starting at 7:00pm sharp.

For more information contact Rachel McGuigan on 07748338279 or email Rachel.mcguigan@dardni.gov.uk

The Pau three-day event is one of only six four-star events in the world and Murphy added just four faults in today’s difficult show jumping phase following an outstanding clear in yesterday’s attritional cross country phase, to leave him on a final score of 58.7 for eighth place.

Mullingar-born Murphy finished 14th in the London Olympics with the same horse, which is owned by Noel Good, Jill Andrews and Annette O’Callaghan.

The event was also a very positive one for Irish breeding, with three Irish Sport Horses finishing in the top eight. Remarkably all three are by the great sire Cruising.

As well as Murphy’s mount in eighth, Mr Medicott was fourth under US rider Phillip Dutton while Mr. Cruise Control was fifth with New Zealand rider Andrew Nicholson.

The event was won by British rider William Fox- Pitt riding Catherine Witt’s Seacookie.

Note from Horse Sport Ireland

IRISH rider Joseph Murphy this evening (Sunday) claimed outright victory in the main CCI three star class at Ballindenisk’s International Horse Trials in Co. Cork, after going clear in both cross country yesterday and show jumping today aboard his own Ricardo Z Irish Sport Horse gelding Sportsfield Othello.

The Mullingar-born eventer held his dressage score of 50.8, with his nearest challenger, Britain’s Izzy Taylor and Thistledown Poposki, finishing on a penalty score of 53.2.

British star Oliver Townend, who was bidding for the Goresbridge Go For Gold €50,000 bonus on the Master Imp Irish Sport Horse Imperial Master saw his hopes dashed on the cross country phase in Cork yesterday after being forced to retire.

Carlow’s Sam Watson won the CCI two-star class with the Puissance-sired Irish Sport Horse gelding Imperial Sky, while Meath-based Sarah Ennis took the CCI1* trophy on the Irish Sport Horse Shanbo Queen B.

Britain’s Pippa Funnell was first in the CIC3* with the Irish-bred Second Supreme, with Kildare’s Camilla Speirs making a welcome return on the Irish Sport Horse Portersize Just A Jiff to win the CIC2*.

At Gatcombe Park in England, meanwhile, Ireland’s Austin O’Connor was runner-up in the CIC2* on the Irish Sport Horse Kilpatrick Knight, while Naas-born Aoife Clark and Europop took fourth place in the CIC1* event.