Britain beat the holders Ireland with France finishing third in the second International Connemara performance hunter team challenge which took place in Show Ring 2 at the RDS early on Sunday afternoon.

Before a large crowd, which included sizeable British support, the Debbie Nickson-led quartet had 13.5 points in hand at the end of the competition which was judged over a short phase on the flat, 16 jumping efforts and conformation.

Athenry breeder Robbie Fallon was on hand to witness Cashel Bay JJ not only competing on the winning team but also top the individual standings.

The bay was ridden by Colchester’s Lucy Eddis whose mother Polly owns the 13-year-old Castleside JJ gelding.

The other team members were Victoria Jones with the 15-year-old Monaghanstown Fred gelding Garry Knight, Aimee White riding Lisnadrisha Tic Tac, a seven-year-old grey mare by Silver Shadow who finished second, and Amy Smith who competed on the nine-year-old Rynn Richard gelding Laburnum Richard.

The Irish team comprised Hannah Gordon with Liam Lynskey’s stallion Black Shadow, Caitriona Curran riding her own Charlie Of Blakehill, Emily McGowan on her own Benny Liath and Megan Telford Kelly with the smallest pony in the competition, her mother Rosalind’s Fond Of A Drop, who jumped clear. These had finished first, second, fourth and fifth in the older Connemara performance hunter championship on the opening day of the show.

The eventer, Fond Of A Drop, had also finished third in one of the 143cms working hunter classes on Saturday while Benny Liath had finished second in a division of the 153cms class.

Like the British squad, the French team members were allowed familiarise their ponies with Ring 2, particularly the bank, on Saturday evening. Drawn first to compete, they performed far better than last year on a quartet of grey stallions.