IRISH EVENTERS SET SAIL FOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Today (Thursday, October 4), the senior Irish Eventing squad of Carol Gee,
Trish Donegan, Sasha Harrison and Ann Hatton left Ireland for the Senior
European Eventing Championships at Pau, France, where they will compete
between the dates of October 11 -14.

The line-up of horses and riders, who will compete both as a team and
individually, are:
Patricia Donegan with Don't Step Back
Carol Gee with Iceman
Ann Hatton with Monatrea Bert
Sasha Harrison with All Love du Fenaud.

The Chef d'Equipe is Helen Cantillon-O'Keeffe, the team vet Con Kennedy and
the trainer is Mary D'Arcy.

The Senior Eventers will be hoping to repeat the success of Ireland's show
jumping squad of Peter Charles, Jessica Kurten, Kevin Babington and Dermott
Lennon, who, at Arnhem in the Netherlands in June of this year, took the
Senior European Team Championships for the first time.

Patricia Donegan was a member of the Irish Three-day Eventing Team that took
a remarkable Fifth Place at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney in September of last
year. Her Olympic horse was <Don't Step Back>.

Sasha Harrison was also a Long Listed rider for the 2000 Olympics.

Details of the European Championships will be available on the Pau website,
which is http://www.event-pau.org

NAME: Patricia Donegan DATE OF BIRTH: 10/12/73 ADDRESS: Sunview, Bandon, Co. Cork, Ireland OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Professional Event Rider MARITAL STATUS: Single WHEN AND WHY STARTED RIDING: “My father always bred horses, so there were always horses in the family.” NAME OF HORSE: Don't Step Back BREED OF HORSE: WNTR AGE OF HORSE: 9 years SEX OF HORSE: Gelding COLOUR OF HORSE: Grey OWNER’S NAME: Mr. Joe Savage SIRE'S NAME OF HORSE: Step Together DAM'S NAME OF HORSE: Castleview Lass

NAME: Carol Gee DATE OF BIRTH: 28/10/61 ADDRESS: Byrneskill, Fethard, County Tipperary, Ireland OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Professional Event Rider MARITAL STATUS: Single HOBBIES: Breeds dogs WHEN AND WHY STARTED RIDING: Family influence NAME OF HORSE: Sportsfield Iceman BREED OF HORSE: Irish Sport Horse AGE OF HORSE: 12 years SEX OF HORSE: Gelding COLOUR OF HORSE: Grey OWNER’S NAME: Carol Gee SIRE'S NAME OF HORSE: Skyboy DAM'S NAME OF HORSE: Ballyroe Clover

LIST OF COMPETITION ACHIEVEMENTS BY THIS HORSE AND RIDER COMBINATION:
Placed Blenheim*** 2000
Completed Luhmuhlen*** 2001
Third Scarvagh CIC***2001

NAME: Sasha Harrison DATE OF BIRTH: 10/9/75 ADDRESS: Windyridge Farm, Richhill, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Eventing Rider MARITAL STATUS: Single HOBBIES: Shopping and Socialising WHEN AND WHY STARTED RIDING: Iveagh Pony Club, Ireland NAME OF HORSE: All Love Du Fenaud BREED OF HORSE: Salle Francais AGE OF HORSE: 12 years SEX OF HORSE: Gelding COLOUR OF HORSE: Bay OWNERS' NAME: Mr & Mrs. Derek Harrison SIRE'S NAME OF HORSE: Qyou De Longvaut DAM'S NAME OF HORSE: Karamba

NAME: Ann Hatton DATE OF BIRTH: 27/1/60 ADDRESS: Hazel Hatch Road, Newcastle, Co. Dublin, Ireland OCCUPATION/PROFESSION: Professional Event Rider and Producer of horses MARITAL STATUS: Single HOBBIES: Music, Reading WHEN AND WHY STARTED RIDING: “Started riding at an early age for the love of the Horse.” NAME OF HORSE: Monatrea Bert BREED OF HORSE: Irish Sport Horse AGE OF HORSE: 13 years SEX OF HORSE: Gelding COLOUR OF HORSE: Chestnut OWNER’S NAME: Mary Roch-Perks SIRE'S NAME OF HORSE: Horace DAM'S NAME OF HORSE: Monatrea Helen

LIST OF COMPETITION ACHIEVEMENTS BY THIS HORSE AND RIDER COMBINATION:
Numerous national wins/placings in Ireland
Completed successfully Punchestown
CCI*** and Burghley CCI**** 2000

Team Trainer: Mary D’Arcy (left) Team Vet: Con Kennedy Chef d’Equipe: Helen Cantillon-O’Keeffe