Coilog Equestrian Centre and involves a sponsorship package

MEMBERS of the show jumping fraternity came together to launch the TRM Showjumpers Club Spring Tour last Tuesday at Coilog Equestrian, Co Kildare. This year along with new title sponsor TRM, the club announced new elements to enhance this popular tour.

The tour, which will kick off in Portmore on January 26th will again include the popular pro-am section. Along with this, there will be an Amateur Spring Tour at six venues.

The Showjumpers Club are proposing to run a team league, similar to the format of the Global Champions League, consisting of teams of six riders with the three best scores counting at the venues and riders drawn from both the TRM Spring Tour and the Amateur Spring Tour.

With young riders featuring prominently on the international scene, the club have enhanced the prize for the Leading Young Rider, which will see the winner appointed as a brand ambassador for TRM for 12 months.

They will join a group of elite riders who act as TRM brand ambassadors including Steve Guerdat, Pius Schwizer, Cian O’Connor and Greg Broderick.

Along with the overall prize fund, the leading pro-am rider of each round will receive Tesoro vouchers to the value of €200, while both winning senior and young riders will also receive supplement hampers at each round.

Professional format

Chair of TRM, Larry Masterson, said: “We delighted and privileged to come on board as sponsors for this tour as it caters for different levels of riders in a very professional format. There is such a high standard of riders who use this tour and the quality of the competition is very high. This Spring Tour takes in professional, amateur and young riders, all of which are our customers.

“We are delighted to be able to give something back and to reward riders who remain in Ireland to compete at home.”

Manager of TRI, Brendan Murphy, said: “I am really exciting about this sponsorship as it serves a large group of riders from professional to amateurs, all of which are very important to us at TRI.

“I am newly appointed manager at TRI and I don’t come from an equestrian background, but looking at the stats, this competition has a huge catchment.

“We are very happy to support the industry at home and we hope that we can help produce many rising stars in our sponsorship of this league.”

Delight

Chair of The Showjumpers Club, Ronan Corrigan, said: “On behalf of The Showjumpers Club and the riders, owners and venues, I am delighted to have TRM as our title sponsor for 2020 and I hope that this may turn into a longer-term partnership.

“We have extended the length of the tour this year and also have new venues. We also acknowledge SJI for their support in providing video coverage for a significant number of the 2020 tour.

“This new TRM package is worth almost €30,000 in prizes over the duration of the tour and this is also increased through the extra prize fund at each venue.

“All in all, I think this is a good thing for national show jumping and it shows the faith a large company like TRM, and their marketing manager Elaine Hatton, have in The Showjumpers Club and the Spring Tour.”