Top Irish showjumper Billy Twomey has received a boost in horsepower ahead of next year’s Olympics, despite being knocked back by Ireland’s Army Equitation School.
The nine-year-old gelding Tin Tin, who was formerly competing with Graham Lovegrove, has been bought by Billy’s long-term owner Sue Davies.
“He’s settling in nicely,” Billy told H&H. “He’s another string to my bow in the run-up to 2012.”
Billy has also recently aquired Special Lux and Wings Sublieme.
Last month the Irish Army rejected a request from team manager Robert Splaine to loan Billy a horse to boost his chances of Olympic qualification.
Ireland failed to qualify a team for 2012, but have a chance of taking two of the three individual places that remain up for grabs until the end of February.
“We fully support the team in its quest for Olympic qualification. But we are unable to supply horses to gain world ranking points, as no suitable ones are available,” an army spokesman told H&H.
This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (22 December, 2011)
