Denis Lynch considering appeal against Olympic decision
Irish showjumper Denis Lynch said he is considering appealing after he was told he would not be riding at the Olympics.
Denis, along with Billy Twomey, was last week nominated to represent Ireland as an individual at the Games.
But after his horse, Lantinus 3, failed a hypersensitivity test at Aachen last week (5-6 July) and was disqualified, Horse Sport Ireland announced they would be looking for a replacement.
The horse was examined by FEI vets after sustaining a small injury on the left fore and right hind during the competition. He was examined again after jumping on Thursday (5 July), and for a third time on Friday morning, when “increased sensitivity” was recorded and the horse was disqualified from the Nations Cup.
A meeting was held yesterday (Monday 9 July) at Dublin Airport between Horse Sport Ireland officials and Denis, which led to the rider been dropped for Greenwich.
Denis said he was “devastated” that his nomination for the Games had been withdrawn.
In a statement he expressed dissatisfaction with the way the situation had been handled and added: “At this stage, we are considering an appeal.
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“I would again like to state that at no stage, was there any inference from the FEI veterinary commission that the hypersensitivity was anything other than naturally occurring. When I received the news that Lantinus was disqualified I was distraught.”
A spokesman for HSI confirmed to H&H that the meeting took place, adding: “The group was unanimous in its concerns at the number of horses Denis Lynch had had disqualified for hypersensitivity in the previous 12 months and these concerns were not allayed at the meeting.”
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.