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Ireland’s Cian O'Connor withdraws Kilkenny from Olympic team competition

Wednesday, 04 August 2021
Tokyo Olympic Games

Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping
Ireland's Cian O'Connor has withdrawn Kilkenny from the Olympic team competition. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

Ireland's Cian O'Connor has decided to withdraw his 9-year-old gelding Kilkenny (Cardento x Guidam) from the Olympic team competition in Tokyo. After recording a single time penalty in Wednesday’s individual final, the pair finished best of the Irish as 7th. However, the pair will not be jumping in the team competition later this week – Kilkenny got a nosebleed towards the end of the course in the individual final, which made O’Connor take the decision to pull out of the team.  

"Unfortunately, Kilkenny had a nosebleed towards the end of the competition but luckily he has recovered well and he looks great,” O'Connor commented. "The vets have checked him over and he seems fine. We are allowed to continue to compete, but for me, his future is more important. I am going to mind him, I am going to be on the ground and help Bertram, Darragh and Shane to try and take a team medal. I am just happy he is in such a good shape and he jumped so well from the qualifier to the final; to finish seventh in the Olympic Games is not so bad. We will be back to fight another day!" 

The FEI has released a statement on Kilkenny's nosebleed, which reads: “The horse Kilkenny, ridden by Cian O’Connor (IRL), had a nosebleed (epistaxis) during the Jumping Individual Final today at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2021. The nine-year-old Irish-bred gelding, which completed the course with just a single time fault, was checked by veterinarians immediately after the competition, and as a precaution, the horse will go to the onsite Veterinary Clinic for a further examination.”

The FEI has also informed that under the FEI Jumping Rules, blood on the flanks or in the horse’s mouth results in elimination, however, equine epistaxis is not a cause for elimination. 

Irish reserve rider Shane Sweetnam with Alejandro (Acorado's Ass x Continue) will now be joining Bertram Allen with Pacino Amiro (Pacino x NC Amiro) as well as Darragh Kenny with VDL Cartello (Cartani 4 x Lord) for the team competition, Horse Sport Ireland has announced

 

Cian O'Connor comments on withdrawing from the Olympic team competition with Kilkenny:



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