Darragh Kenny and VDL Cartello (Cartani x Lord) will replace Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro (Pacino x Nc Amiro) in the Irish squad for the 2024 Olympic Games, Horse Sport Ireland announced on Wednesday. 

On Tuesday, Allen shared that he unfortunately will be missing out on the 2024 Olympics as Pacino Amiro has sustained an injury. Kenny and VDL Cartello have been called upon to replace them as the reserve pair for the Irish team. 

“It’s obviously so disappointing for Bertram, Pacino Amiro’s owners Ballywalter Stud and everyone who looks after him at home that this has happened so close to Paris," the Irish chef d'equipe Michael Blake said in the announcement from Horse Sport Ireland. “We all saw how good his form was coming into the Games, jumping double clear in Aachen to help us win the five-star Nations Cup, and I know he would have done a brilliant job in Paris if he had been needed. Darragh Kenny and VDL Cartello will now come in as our P Alternate combination, and I have the utmost faith in them – Darragh has been jumping full of confidence and had a great win in Falsterbo last week. This combination also has Olympic experience and jumped a clear round in Tokyo to make the individual final. If they’re needed in Paris I’m sure they will do a great job for the team.”

“I’m very disappointed – to be chosen for the Olympics is the highest honour in the sport so this is a tough one to take," Bertram Allen said in the announcement from Horse Sport Ireland. “While I’m obviously disappointed for myself, I’m also disappointed for Buddy as he really was in such great form coming into it and we were ready to go if we were called upon. I really must thank everyone in my team, Buddy’s owners at Ballywalter and his groom Lovisa Munter. The only thing left to do is wish the lads all the very best in Paris – we have a brilliant team and I’ve no doubt they’ll do us all proud.”