Ireland's showjumping riders in Abu Dhabi for today's 5* President's Cup CSIO have pledged to donate any winnings in the event to the Haiti Earthquake appeal.
Irish team manager Robert Splaine made the announcement yesterday as the chef d'equipes of the 11 nations competing in the President's Cup met to make the draw for the running order of the team contest.
 Hosts Margie Engle and Liliane Stransky at a Haiti fundraising event in Florida. © David Candido |
"This is not to do with publicity, no-one wants to profit from others misfortune, but we hope that it will raise awareness and perhaps motivate other donations," he said.
First prize in the Nations' Cup is €30,000 with €20,000 for second place and prize money down as far as €6000 for sixth place.
The Irish team competing here is a strong one and consists of former World Champion Dermott Lennon, Cian O'Connor recent winner of the Grand Prix at Olympia, Billy Twomey, who won the Amsterdam GP and Cameron Hanley, 4th in the 2009 European Championships.
Hanley commented "We were all talking last night about how lucky we are to have this lifestyle, even though it is work for us as professional riders, and how it would be great to help out some people who are not as fortunate. Of course we have now put ourselves under a bit of pressure to do well but we are all experienced riders and there is always pressure at this level. That said, we are honoured to have been invited here, the UAE Federation have gone to a great deal of trouble to prepare this show."
At the press conference Captain John Roche, who is the FEI Director of Jumping and is here as part of the Appeals committee, announced that this competition would definitely count towards the Promotional League points table and therefore qualifying for the 2011 Top League.
His Excellency Taleb Dhahar Al Muhairi, who is President of the UAE Showjumping Club said that his country had decided to organise this show as there was not a prestigious event for the sport so far in the country and to do this would raise the profile of jumping among the Arab nations.
"We have invested much in this show but so far we do not have the final cost, it has just been spend, spend, spend so far but I think to have riders such as these competing here has a bigger value than money, which we will see the rewards of in future."
He also revealed that there would be opportunities every day for the public to win a new car and that the prize fund was likely to increase in 2011 from the €500,000 on offer this year. All the 5* classes are will count towards the Rolex rankings and Saturday's Grand Prix, one of the richest individual prizes on offer anywhere in the world. There are 57 riders from 16 nations here to take their chance to win it.
Nations Cup Team Order
1. Denmark, 2. Germany, 3. Ireland, 4. Sweden, 5. Egypt, 6. Netherlands, 7.Q atar, 8. United Arab Emirates, 9. Great Britain, 10. Italy, 11. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• A benefit at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida last week raised more than $65,000 for Haitian relief.
The event was hosted by Olympic show jumping medalist Margie Engle and Liliane Stransky, the founder and CEO of the Step By Step Foundation, and organised by Kathy Andersen, CEO of Development Connect. Donations are still coming in.
The event featured an auction, and players flocked around the casino tables to try their hands at blackjack, three card poker and playing roulette.
"Thanks to everyone's help at the poker tournament we know it is possible to make a difference," said Stransky, who is already planning her next mission to Haiti to assist with relief efforts with her daughters Daniela and Samantha.
"With the recent devastation, we are focusing on relief and re-building of schools, health facilities, and the communities."
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