Irish team win in St Gallen

In the build-up to the Olympic Games and selection deadlines, the Irish show jumping team won Friday afternoon’s 11th leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations’ Cup series in St Gallen, Switzerland.

The quartet of Denis Lynch (All Star), Bertram Allen (Molly Malone), Cian O’Connor (Good Luck) and Greg Broderick, who recorded a double clear on the Irish Sport Horse MHS Going Global, finished on a two-round total of eight faults. Sweden, France, the United States and Germany shared second place on 12.

Broderick was delighted with his fault-free afternoon: “My horse is a Nations’ Cup specialist and he was in great form here, everything was right.” Talking about the heavy rain in the closing stages, he commented: “Of course we were a bit worried about the rain, he (MHS Going Global) would definitely prefer the top of the ground but so would 99 per cent of show jumping horses. It takes a bit to adjust to it when the ground changes, but he’s such a talented horse he just jumps within himself and makes it easy.”

With the four team members now having staked their claim to fill the sole spot at the Games which was secured by Allen, the pressure is on Horse Sport Ireland’s show jumping team manager Robert Splaine.

The Irish eventing team manager Nick Turner will have his final chance to assess the competitive performance of the Olympic squad today and tomorrow at the Tattersalls international horse trials in Co Meath.

While competitors in the four one-star classes complete the final show jumping phase throughout today, the two and three-star long format riders will be out on the cross-country course where some very quick times were recorded yesterday. Tomorrow, the CIC3* riders will tackle the Ian Stark-designed course. For the current situation, see below.

Over the weekend, international show jumping continues at the Mullingar Equestrian Centre in Co Westmeath where there is also a full showing programme.

In dressage, Judy Reynolds, riding her parents’ 14-year-old Jazz gelding Vancouver K, won Friday’s Grand Prix at Achleiten, Austria, breaking her own Irish international Grand Prix record in the process when scoring 75.24 per cent.

“I was delighted to win my first international big tour Grand Prix and set a new Irish international record score.” said Reynolds. “The test flowed and it felt like we had a lot of time. After his recent break, JP (Vancouver K) settled today. There were a couple of little glitches but when you are scoring 9’s for the entry and rein back it helps build a big score.”

Eventing

Tattersalls, Co Meath

The Irish Field CCI3* (after dressage) - 1, Australia’s Hunter Valley II (Sammi Birch) 43.9 penalties; 2, Ireland’s Mr Chunky (Padraig McCarthy) 44.8; 3, Britain’s Dunbeau (Oliver Townend) 45.4; 4, Ireland’s Dunrath Eclipse (Patricia Ryan) 45.8; 5, Britain’s Cooley SRS (Oliver Townend) 46.4; 6, Britain’s Joyride (Tom McEwen) 46.5; 27 starters.

Eventing Ireland CIC2* (after dressage) - 1, Britain’s Secret Night (William Fox-Pitt) 39.7 penalties; 2, Britain’s Top Biats (William Fox-Pitt) 40.3; 3, New Zealand’s Cooley Showtime (Jonelle Price) 42; 4, New Zealand’s Ascona M (Jonelle Price) 44.1; 5, Ireland’s Pride Of Tredstep (Aidan Keogh) 45; 6, Britain’s Ballaghmor Class (Oliver Townend) 45; 49 starters.

Connolly’s Red Mills CCI2* under 24 (after dressage) - 1, Britain’s Dusty II (Tom Jackson) 43.6 penalties; 2, Britain’s Kiltubrid Rhapsody (David Doel) 45.4; 3, Britain’s Penhill Touch Of Class (Millie Dumas) 46.9; 4, Britain’s GI Master Caster (Holly Woodhead) 47; 5, Britain’s El Kazir SP (Chuffy Clarke) 47.4; 6, Britain’s MGH Regents Street (Millie Dumas) 47.5; 30 starters.

Land Rover CCI1* (after cross-country) - 1, Britain’s Marstonpark Lupia (Dani Evans) 39.5 penalties; 2, New Zealand’s Zazu (Jock Paget) 40.3; 3, Britain’s Cooley Roller Coaster (Emilie Chandler) 41.5; 4, Britain’s Dooney Rock (Hannah Bate) 41.9; 5, New Zealand’s Optimus Prime II (Jock Paget) 42.4; 6, New Zealand’s Koh I Noor (Tim Price) 44.5; 63 starters.

Cooley Farm CCIYH1* for six and seven-year-olds (after cross-country) - 1, Britain’s Little Fire (William Fox-Pitt) 35.6 penalties; 2, New Zealand’s Kincooley Cruising (Tim Price) 36.5; 3, Britain’s Ard Cluedo (Millie Dumas) 36.8; 4, Ireland’s Ballymolloy Rogan (Brian Morrison) 36.8; 5, Britain’s Hennessy Gold (Ruth Edge) 39.2; 6, Britain’s Royal Roxey (Tom McEwen) 40.5; 56 starters.

Tredstep Ireland CCIJ1* (after cross-country) - 1, Britain’s MGH Smarty (Eleanor Hope) 41.4 penalties; 2, Ireland’s Catriona (Ella Boyle) 45.7; 3, Britain’s Enumero (Emma Roberts) 49.7; 4, Ireland’s Smart Spirit (Sam Micklem) 50.1; 5, Ireland’s TLB Interactive (Alex Power) 50.7; 6, Ireland’s Ballycarron Lad (Izzy Riley) 50.7; 31 starters.

Berney Bros CCI1*, ponies (after cross-country) - 1, Ireland’s Millridge Buachaill Bui (Zara Nelson) 41.7 penalties; 2, Ireland’s Ballyvee Moll (Sophie Foyle) 44.5; 3, Ireland’s Colour Me Fancy (Isabelle Comerford) 50.7; 4, Ireland’s Creemully Melody (Robyn McCluskey) 51.6; 5, Ireland’s Cloughreagh Charlie (Timmy Love) 52.3; 6, Ireland’s Knockbordan Revelation (Zara Nelson) 52.5; 17 starters.

George Mernagh Memorial CIC3* (after dressage) - 1, Ireland’s Kilpatrick Knight (Austin O’Connor) 42.3 penalties; 2, Ireland’s Cooley Rorkes Drift (Jonty Evans) 43.3; 3, Ireland’s Bernadette Utopia (Padraig McCarthy) 44.3; 4, New Zealand’s Ringwood Sky Boy (Tim Price) 44.9; 5, Ireland’s Simon Porloe (Padraig McCarthy) 45.6; 6, Ireland’s Euro Prince (Clare Abbott) 48.5; 30 starters.