Blake hopeful of defending BMO Nations Cup at Spruce Meadows

Michael Blake is hopeful of a repeat performance at the five-star BMO Nations Cup at Spruce Meadows in Calgary tomorrow night. Blake led The Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping team to its first Spruce Meadows Nations Cup win since 2001 last year and, off the back of a stellar 2024 season, hopes are high of retaining their crown. The Horse Sport Ireland High Performance Show Jumping Director raised the biggest trophy in the sport last year as Ireland won on a score of five faults, beating Germany into second and hosts Canada into third. Two members of that team, Daniel Coyle and Denis Lynch, return tomorrow night and they join Mikey Pender and Cian O’Connor in the quartet. Blake said: “Last year was brilliant – it was our first win here in over 20 years and it was certainly one of the season’s highlights. “We have podium finishes well into […]