Ireland rallied from 4th place at the half-way stage to finish 2nd in the Samsumg Nations Cup of Greece at the Markopoulo Centre in Athens today. The event was won by Sweden.
Ireland's challenge was helped enormously by Derry rider Ryan Crumley on Baltimore, the only pairing from all the competitors not to incur jumping faults on the day.
Cameron Haley on Hippica Kerman has just four faults in each round, while Neil Fearon on Cruz Forever improved from the discard score of twelve faults in the opening round to just four second time out.
Sarah Kate Quinlivan on Newmarket Girl had eight first round faults and a time penalty, the score counting ahead of Fearon's twelve, but Chef d'Equipe Robert Splaine opted for the experience of Fearon in choosing his three riders for the second round so Quinlivan's work was done at halfway.
Splaine's overnight confidence proved well-founded and afterwards he was delighted with the performance of a team composed of young experience-seeking riders. "Everybody contributed mightily", he said. "They're a great team of riders to work with."
