A very close competition saw Ireland among five teams sharing the lead on a zero score following the first round.

Irish Chef d’Equipe Taylor Vard saw three clear rounds from his opening three riders. Tipperary’s Thomas Ryan (Springfield 21), Cork’s Jeremy Sweetnam (Brown Star Z) and Wexford’s Harry Allen (Over Lux (ISH) all jumped clear. That meant Ireland’s last combination, Waterford’s Comdt Geoff Curran with Glengarra Wood (ISH), didn’t need to jump in the opening round.

Ryan and Sweetnam completed double clear rounds second time out. Bertram Allen came home with four faults picked up at the water. As the competition came down to the last line riders, Ireland, Brazil and Belgium were the three teams that could finish on a zero score.

Brazil were to finish on a final score of one time fault. Ireland’s Geoff Curran picked up four faults near the end of his round, and Belgium finished on the same score.

Brazil took the victory with Ireland second as the fastest of the teams that finished on four faults. Third place went to Belgium.

Ireland will be in five-star Longines FEI Nations Cup action at Sopot in Poland this weekend.

The competition will be shown live on the RTÉ News Channel from 1pm on Sunday afternoon.

The post Irish Showjumping team second in Norway appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Ireland were pushed all the way by the United Arab Emirates who finished as runners-up on four faults. Britain finished third of the seven teams that competed on 17 faults.

The in-form combination of Shane Breen and the Team Z7-owned Z7 Ipswich were first to go for Ireland in the opening round. They completed the course inside the time allowed but picked up four faults at the water.

Twenty-year-old Jack Ryan from Co Kilkenny and BBS McGregor produced an immaculate clear round to keep Ireland among the early pace-setters.

Derry’s David Simpson and Foudre F added another clear to put Ireland in a strong position with one rider left to go in the first round.

Anchor rider Trevor Breen put Ireland on a zero score when he and Highland President jumped clear. Ireland led at the halfway stage as the only team on a zero score. The home team from the UAE was second on four faults.

Double clears for Ryan and Simpson

In the second round, UAE’s Abdullah Mohd Al Marri, jumped clear. However Shane Breen then matched his performance with an excellent clear with Z7 Ipswich to keep Ireland with a one fence advantage over the hosts.

Another clear from the second UAE rider Hamad Ali Al Kirbi kept them on a four fault score before Jack Ryan and BBS McGregor produced a double clear.

Ali Hamad Al Kirbi produced another clear for the UAE, meaning the home team would finish on a two round total of just four faults with three second round clears.

Ireland needed a clear from one of their two remaining riders to take victory. David Simpson completed a brilliant double clear performance with Foudre F meaning Ireland could not be beaten.

The post Ireland wins Longines FEI Nations Cup of the UAE in Abu Dhabi appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The Michael Blake-managed team of Shane Sweetnam, Bertram Allen, Michael Duffy and Cian O’Connor produced six clear rounds.

The hosts won the $150,000 four-star Nations Cup, the main class this weekend at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida.

Cork’s Shane Sweetnam got Ireland off to a perfect clear round start with Karlin Van’t Vennehof.

A second clear followed for Wexford’s Bertram Allen with The Irish Sport Horse Castlefield Vegas. Then Galway’s Michael Duffy and Zilton SL Z produced a foot perfect round.

Another clear soon followed from Meath’s anchor Cian O’Connor with Cadiz. This left Ireland on a perfect zero score in the lead at the halfway stage.

The home team from USA was close behind in second on just a time fault with Israel third on four faults. Brazil were next best on eight faults with Canada and Britain on 12 faults.  Mexico and Colombia finished round one on 20 faults.

Second Round

In the second round, Shane Sweetnam with Karlin Van’t Vennehof kept Ireland in control by completing a double clear performance.

Bertram Allen and Castlefield Vegas (ISH) finished with four faults before Michael Duffy and Zilton SL Z also completed with a single fence down.

An excellent second round performance from the USA saw them add nothing to their first round score and even another Irish clear from Cian O’Connor as anchor rider with Cadiz, couldn’t deny the home team victory.

USA win Nations Cup

The NetJets U.S. Jumping Team of Lillie Keenan aboard Fasther and Brian Moggre with Balou De Reventon. Bliss Heers on Antidote De Mars and Jessica Springsteen riding Don Juan Van Donkhoeve were the other US combinations. The team finished on just a time fault with Ireland second on four faults.

Brazil were third on 14 with Israel fourth on 16 faults. Canada came fifth on 20, Britain completed with 24 faults for sixth place. Colombia (29 faults) were seventh while Mexico finished eighth on 33 faults.

The winning  team were presented with the Denis Quinlan Memorial Trophy.  Denis, who passed away in September 2020, was originally from Co Limerick before moving to Wellington, Florida, and was instrumental in starting Nations Cup jumping in Florida and in supporting Irish riders.

The post Ireland runners-up in Florida Nations Cup appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.