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Irish show jumping riders recorded some impressive results at youth and senior level across Europe last weekend.
Led by Chef d’Equipe Lucy Allen, the Irish pony (U16) show jumping team of Ryan Sweetnam (Kilcummin Cruise), Jack Brennan (Alonsa), Niamh McEvoy (Caliber-de) and Alex Finney (Still Got Me), won Sunday’s FEI Pony Nations Cup at Sentower Park in Belgium. Ireland were in the lead on a zero score following Thursday’s opening round and finished the second round on eight faults to take victory. Netherlands and Germany finished in a share of second place on 16 faults while Belgium finished fourth, Italy fifth and Sweden sixth.
In the senior show jumping ranks, Tipperary’s Denis Lynch continued his excellent run of form at the Hubside Tour in Grimaud, France. Following on from a five-star Grand Prix win at the same venue last weekend, Lynch took fourth place in another five-star 1.60m Grand Prix with the 13-year-old stallion Cristello. Lynch collected €20,000 after jumping double double clear in 41.26 seconds.
Irish Dressage rider Anna Merveldt and the 11-year-old stallion Esporim recorded their best ever World Cup finish as a team - taking runner-up spot in Sunday’s CDI3*-W FEI World Cup Freestyle To Music Grand Prix at Budapest-Fot in Hungary.
This result came just after Merveldt and Esporim finished third in Saturday’s Grand Prix at the same venue, and went one better in Sunday’s freestyle to take second place overall with an impressive score of 73.650%.
That left them just behind French rider Morgan Barbancon and Sir Donnerhall II OLD who took victory with a score of 76.575%. Austria’s Christian Schumach and Donna Karacho, who had finished ahead of Merveldt on Saturday, this time had to settle for third place behind the Irish rider when scoring 73.600%.
Co Carlow’s Sam Watson and Imperial Sky (ISH)(TIH) came from behind on the final day to take victory in the feature CCI 4*-L at Ballindenisk International Horse Trials in Co Cork.
Galway’s Cathal Daniels and Barrichello had held the lead after Dressage and Cross Country but two fences down in their show jumping phase saw them drop to seventh. Watson and Imperial Sky (ISH)(TIH) finished on a winning score of 30.5, just ahead of runner-up Sarah Ennis with Horseware Woodcourt Garrison (ISH) on 32.1, while Camilla Speirs finished third with Lukas on 34.0.
The CCI 4*-S saw victory going to Co Meath’s Sarah Ennis and Horseware Stellor Rebound (ISH) with a score of 28.6. Cathal Daniels and LEB Lias Jewel (ISH) finished second (35.6) while Louise Bloomer and Hollybrook High in the Sky (ISH)(TIH) finished third (37.0).
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