BILLY TWOMEY AND Denis Lynch have been nominated to the Olympic Council of Ireland to represent the country in show jumping at London 2012.

The duo were chosen by show jumping Team Manager Robert Splaine, and due to the expiry of the deadline for lodging HSI selection appeals, their names have now been sent to the OCI.

Twomey was picked with Edwin and Sue Davies’s horse Tinka’s Serenade, and Lynch will ride Thomas Straumann’s Abbervail van het Dingeshof.

The Irish show jumping teams failed to qualify for London, nonetheless Twomey and Lynch will compete in the individual slots on the basis of their Olympic rider rankings, thanks to strong performances that led them to be nominated by the OCI.

Following this news, Horse Sport Ireland CEO Damian McDonald said:

“Since 2008 a number of measures have been put in place to address what happened at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic games. Since 2008 over 300 horses ridden by Irish riders have been tested during international competitions by the FEI and all have tested negative which is as it should be.

“However, we cannot be complacent. We have been working closely with the OCI to put the right protocols in place in the lead up to the games. The OCI /HSI monitoring group met with the riders in Dublin airport yesterday to ensure all possible further safeguards are put in place.

“The riders have gone out of their way to work with us on these issues and I know they are determined to ensure that Ireland and Irish show jumping is represented with distinction at the 2012 Olympic games in London.

Overall, there will be five eventing riders, one dressage rider and one Modern Pentathlete representing Irish equestrian sport at the Olympic Games, in addition to four riders in the Paralympics.

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