OlympicIRL

Séamus is already building a raft in case we need it .

St.Kilda!! Ever since learning of this island I have always thought this must be a wonderful place to visit, I am delighted . Lots of beautiful relaxation time and as soon as I get bedded down in a safe location I will look forward to all and any weather! Looking forward to getting in touch with nature here in the Outer Hebrides and joining my Tunisian friends for pleasant company over tea (or coffee ). We will no doubt have TISC Open in our minds and what better backdrop to provide inspiration. Woohoo, finally I get to visit these islands which are on my bucket list

Yes, our dressage scores improved so much and i remember thinking we actually had a chance of a team medal (we are usually outside top 8 after dressage phase ). But we had a nightmare in the cross country which is usually where we gain ground so everything seemed backwards for us in Rio. I don't know what to expect to be honest in this Olympic cycle. After Rio my confidence and hopes were dented that it seems like we start back at square one again.

Thanks for the info! Yes Jonty was wonderful in Rio and nice to see many of our top riders here . I'm especially interested to see how Cathal Daniels performs, just competing here will be a vital learning curve for him. Hopefully our larger participation at events like this is an encouraging sign of our future direction in eventing.We had good junior teams in recent years so I hope this will translate somehow to senior level in future.

@dcro Which are our best riders here would you say?

Wow, that's great news. I haven't been up to date on eventing since Rio so this is news for me

Lies

But for me the snooker worlds are like the darts world championships.... you can't miss a single round . But snooker and darts are two big loves of mine so I understand completely

I mean the snooker is the place to be, never mind the Europa League or the premier league darts

The snooker is where it's at this week and next anyway .

Wish You Were Here.... We focus on three nations from different parts of the globe in today's edition. Australia has shown interest in many TISC contests so far but have only managed to compete in two editions, scoring a personal best of 5th place in a very tight TISC Open in 2015. Hungary hasn't competed in TISC since the TISC Open in 2015 and it was at that contest where they had their best result to date. Colombia still holds the record for most successful debut at TISC when Shakira brought the nation a 2nd place finish at the TISC Open in 2014 with her hit "Whenever, Wherever" which is also the highest scoring runner-up in TISC history. Today's post marks the final in the "Wish You Were Here" series. It's been a pleasure re-visiting the music from our former TISC compatriots. Australia Participations: 2 (TISC Annual 2014; TISC Open 2015) Best finish: 5th (TISC Open 2015) Hungary Participations: 3 (TISC Annual 2014; TISC Open 2014, 2015) Best finish: 21st (TISC Open 2015) Colombia Participations: 4 (TISC Annual 2016; TISC Open 2014, 2015, 2016) Best finish: 2nd (TISC Open 2014)

What's wrong with a pair of socks? Today's generation are so spoiled with their fancy gifts

"He"? Yes, so close

Wish You Were Here.... Today we have a selection of entries from former participants from Spain, Guyana and Norway. Spain have intermittently competed at TISC since their first appearance in the TISC Annual in 2014 and achieved their best finish at the TISC Open in 2015 where their entry scored strongly to place 8th. Guyana took TISC by storm at the inaugural event with Eddy Grant and his song "Gimme Hope Jo'anna" coming agonisingly close to the podium, finishing in 4th place. Eddy Grant has since gone on to represent Guyana a further two times at the TISC Open but to date Guyana hasn't been able to reach the heights they achieved at that first edition. And finally we reminisce on Norway's sole entry from their only participation in TISC, placing 15th at the TISC Annual in 2014. Let's hope these nations will write a new chapter in their TISC journey in the years to come! Spain Participations: 4 (TISC Annual 2014, 2016; TISC Open 2014, 2015) Best finish: 8th (TISC Open 2015) Guyana Participations: 4 (TISC Open 2013, 2014, 2015; TISC Annual 2014) Best finish: 4th (TISC Open 2013) Norway Participations: 1 (TISC Annual 2014) Best finish: 15th (TISC Annual 2014)

It finished 6th, re-read the post (at the top)

Wish You Were Here.... In today's series we remember past contestants from Turkey, Czech Republic, Chile and Sweden. Turkey have participated at every TISC Open so far but sadly have only attended one Annual edition and will again be absent from this year's event in Great Britain. Czech Republic too have taken part in each TISC Open but will miss the Annual equivalent for the second successive year. Chile debuted at TISC Annual in 2015 and participated at the TISC Open later that year also. But having achieved a best finish at the TISC Annual in 2016 they have missed both contests since then. Finally, we must include Sweden in our series of "Wish You Were Here". Winners of the first ever edition of the Totallympics Song Contest back in 2013 they are indeed sadly missed from the TISC family. We have not seen Sweden at TISC since the TISC Annual edition in 2015 and this will be the 4th contest in a row in which they are absent. As we will no doubt hear their winning entry from TISC Open 2013 again at various points in our history posts, I have decided to showcase their next best ranked song at TISC which came 6th at TISC Open in 2014. Let's hope we will see every one of these nations return at the TISC Open 2017 in Tunisia later this year! Turkey Participations: 5 (TISC Open 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; TISC Annual 2015) Best finish: 10th (TISC Open 2014) Czech Republic Participations: 6 (TISC Open 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; TISC Annual 2014, 2015) Best finish: 17th (TISC Annual 2014) Chile Participations: 3 (TISC Annual 2015, 2016; TISC Open 2015) Best finish: 15th (TISC Annual 2016) Sweden Participations: 4 (TISC Open 2013, 2014; TISC Annual 2014, 2015) Best finish: 1st (TISC Open 2013)

Maybe as part of his new powers of appointing ministers, senior judges, etc. Erdogan will now also appoint an official TISC spokesperson

Forever .... well forever is certainly a long time

Wish You Were Here.... In today's series we remember past contestants from Lebanon, Estonia, Switzerland and Montenegro.... here's hoping that we see a return for these nations to the TISC family in the near future Lebanon Participations: 2 (TISC Open 2013, 2014) Best finish: 29th (TISC Open 2014) Estonia Participations: 1 (TISC Open 2014) Best finish: 24th (TISC Open 2014) Switzerland Participations: 2 (TISC Open 2014, TISC Annual 2015) Best finish: 5th (TISC Open 2014) Montenegro Participations: 2 (TISC Annual 2014, TISC Open 2014) Best finish: 32nd (TISC Annual 2014)

Well no medals for us but we competed in a tonne of events this time which is encouraging and hopefully we can qualify a few quotas for Tokyo in this Olympic cycle. Still awaiting a single indoor velodrome in Ireland which would be the most important piece of progress but no, our government don't care about making money available for that

Happy Easter

Wish You Were Here.... As we await the Grand Final of the TISC Annual 2017 and as part of the Festival of Music, I decided to share some memories from the nations who have participated in the contest in the past but have sadly left us in the meantime. For the purposes of the list I have included the song with the highest finish for that nation. First up in the series are Egypt, Vietnam, Ukraine and Latvia..... Egypt Participations: 5 (TISC Open 2013, 2014, 2015; TISC Annual 2014, 2015) Best finish: 18th (TISC Open 2013) Vietnam Participations: 1 (TISC Open 2013) Best finish: 8th (TISC Open 2013) Ukraine Participations: 1 (TISC Open 2013) Best finish: 27th (TISC Open 2013) Latvia Participations: 2 (TISC Open 2013, TISC Open 2014) Best finish: 7th (TISC Open 2014)

And in one of those both Irish riders went down

How many of those were Irish crashes? Seems like they spent more time on the deck than riding

This is a great song.... Celine also sang this during the interval of the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland the year after she won. Celine Dion - Where Does My Heart Beat Now?