Show Jumping Super League: Irish chef d'equipe John Ledingham last night called on the top show jumpers to bury their differences and line out for Ireland at next month's Samsung Super League final in Barcelona, after a disastrous eighth place finish in Aachen yesterday dropped Ireland to last in the league rankings.
"The best horse-and-rider combinations need to put themselves forward for selection for Barcelona and if they don't then those riders don't deserve to be in the Super League," Ledingham said.
"It will be the riders themselves who'll be responsible for putting Ireland out of the league, not the management. The riders need to put their shoulder to the wheel to keep us in the Super League. If we drop out it's really going to affect the sport for a long while and it could take a good few years to get back in."
Fifth at halfway yesterday, but only a fence adrift of joint leaders Holland and America, the Irish were on course for a move up to second as last man in Billy Twomey steered Anastasia down the final combination in the second round. Clear up to that, the mare stopped at the final element and crashed through in a jumble of poles and Irish hopes.
Twomey's finishing total of 12 after Anastasia hit the middle element at the second attempt left Ireland on a two-round tally of 32 and last behind surprise seventh-place finishers Germany.
The Americans held on for victory after a double clear, one of only two in the class, from McLain Ward, just back in the saddle after breaking his collarbone in a fall during the British Nations Cup in Hickstead four weeks ago.
Gerco Schroder also put in a faultless effort to keep the Dutch in second, level with a revitalised French squad that had shared fifth with the Irish at the break.
"One obstacle, just part of a fence, was so expensive it was horrendous," Ledingham said.
And the expense could be crippling for Irish show jumping next season, as the team would have to chase points at far-flung venues, including Buenos Aires, if Ireland are relegated.
The Americans now have a four-point lead over Germany in the Super League rankings, with Britain a further two points off the pace in third. Now 3.5 points adrift of the Dutch and last in the rankings, Ireland can afford to finish no lower than fifth in next month's double-points final if they are to avoid relegation.
If Holland or Belgium win in Spain, it's curtains for the Irish and they will be demoted to the second division next season.
The selectors meet on Tuesday to pick the team for Barcelona and though Cian O'Connor has indicated he expects Waterford Crystal to be fit, Jessica Kurten and Harry Marshall have refused to allow their names go forward for selection for the final.
Samsung Super League Nations Cup, Aachen, Germany: 1 USA, 13 faults; equal 2 Holland and France, 21; equal 4 Britain and Switzerland, 22; 6 Belgium, 24; 7 Germany, 30; 8 Ireland (World Cruise - Shane Breen, 0/12; Condios - Dermott Lennon, 4/8; Killossery - Captain Shane Carey, 13/4; Anastasia - Billy Twomey, 4/12), 32.
Samsung Super League rankings: 1 USA, 43 points; 2 Germany, 39; 3 Britain, 37; 4 Switzerland, 28; 5 France, 27.5; 6 Belgium, 19; 7 Holland, 18.5; 8 Ireland, 15.
