The Irish showjumping team of Daniel Coyle, Denis Lynch, Trevor Breen and Shane Sweetnam took third place on the podium in today’s Longines FEI Nations Cup of The Netherlands in Rotterdam, which was broadcast live on RTÉ2.
Rotterdam was the second of four opportunities to gain points in Europe’s top division, and today’s result has moved Ireland up to fifth place on the league table with 150 points - they are well-positioned in the race to see which teams will qualify for September’s Nations Cup World Final in Barcelona.
Ireland were drawn first to jump in the opening round and Derry’s Coyle, with the Ariel Grange-owned Legacy, gave Michael Blake’s team a perfect start as they came home clear and well inside the time as pathfinder.
Tipperary’s Denis Lynch with Brooklyn Heights, owned by Molly Ohrstrom, looked to be heading for another Irish clear when second to go, however they picked up four faults at the very last double.
Another Tipperary rider, Cashel’s Trevor Breen, was third in for the Irish with Highland President, owned by Heather Black. They were also clear towards the end of their round but had a fence down on the troublesome last line to finish on four faults.
Cork’s Shane Sweetnam was last to go for Ireland in the first round with The Irish Sport Horse James Kann Cruz and the Gizmo Partners-owned gelding delivered a brilliant clear round to keep Ireland well in the hunt. Ireland finished the first round in equal second as one of four teams on a four fault score while the home team from The Netherlands held the lead on zero.
Coyle produced his second brilliant clear at the start of the second round to keep the pressure on the leaders, before Lynch and Brooklyn Heights repeated their four-fault score from the first round. It looked as though Trevor Breen was going to deliver a clear second round with Highland President but the very last fence fell after a slight rub to leave them with four faults. Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz (ISH) who was bred by Patrick Connolly and is still just a nine-year-old, completed a hugely impressive double clear round as last to go for Ireland, which left Ireland on a final score of eight faults.
The result hung in the balance until the very last horse left the arena, but ultimately it was the home Dutch team who took victory as the only team to finish on a zero score. France finished second on the same score as Ireland but in a slightly faster time.
Ireland’s next points-scoring outing in Europe Division 1 will come at Hickstead in Britain on 29 July followed by the home Nations Cup for the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse Show on Friday 19 August – both of which will be shown live on RTÉ.
Meanwhile at Deauville in France, Taylor Vard's Irish team of Thomas Ryan, Jessica Burke, Kevin Gallagher and Jenny Rankin took third place overall in the three-star Longines EEF Nations Cup semi-final.
The result means Ireland comfortably qualify for the Longines EEF Nations Cup Final this September in Warsaw.
