Sam Watson and Tullabeg Flamenco

Carlow’s Sam Watson and Tullabeg Flamenco (ISH) were pathfinders for the Irish in the Cross Country. A fast round saw them pick up just two time penalties. Unfortunately, they also picked up 11 penalties when a slight rub broke a frangible pin at fence 14C. That put Watson on a total score 47.3 after Dressage and Cross Country and they now lie in 31st place individually.

Austin O’Connor & Colorado Blue go clear

Cork native Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue were second to go for the Sally Corscadden managed Irish team. They produced a stunning round to jump clear inside the time to stay on their Dressage score of 38.0.

O’Connor and Colorado Blue’s  brilliant round, one of just six clears inside the time, saw him shoot up the leaderboard and having been in 49th place after Dressage, they are now in 20th position.

“I am delighted with my horse’s performance, the horse was great,” admitted a delighted Austin O’Connor.

“He seems to have recovered really well. He is a class horse. We will all enjoy the next phase now. We will get the horse recovered and myself recovered and hopefully come out and finish on a good note.”

Sarah Ennis & Horseware Woodcourt Garrison

The last member of the Irish trio to take on the Cross Country course was Meath’s Sarah Ennis with Horseware Woodcourt Garrison (ISH). They picked up 20 penalties for a refusal at fence 16C and 17.6 time penalties for a total score after Dressage and Cross Country of 75.70 in 39th position.

That leaves Ireland on a team total of 161.0 heading into the final Show Jumping phase.

Britain remain in the gold medal position in the team competition after they added no penalties to their Dressage score of 78.30.  Australia are in silver with France currently in bronze.

Irish Sport Horse Ballaghmore Class leads

Britain’s Oliver Townend and The Irish Sport Horse Ballaghmor Class (ISH) are in the gold medal position on the individual standings with a score of 23.6.

The Olympic Eventing team and individual medals will be decided following the final Show Jumping phase which takes place on Bank Holiday Monday.

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Young Rider Eventing Squad

• Alannah Kelly and Cooley Bounce (ISH).
• Brian Kuehnle and Tullibards Now or Never (ISH).
• Jennifer Kuehnle and Polly Blue Eyes (ZfDP).
• Zara Nelson and OLS Queen Bee (ISH).
• Heather O’Connor and HSH Has It All (ISH).
• Jim Tyrrell and Rock Gift (ISH).

The non travelling reserves are Emily Barrett with BGS Mikado (ISH) and Zara Nelson with OLS Pixie Hollow (ISH).

High Performance Young Rider Eventing Team Manager Sue Shortt said:

“Most of these riders are veterans of several Pony and Junior European Championships, and a Children on Horses show jumping Gold medallist.  I’ve selected a squad of riders that have shown in training and competition, that they have the skills and experience to cope with a big, technical cross country course.”

Junior Eventing Squad

• Godfrey Gibbons and Milchem Free Spirit (ISH).
• Sarah O’Donnell and Blessington Prince Royal (UNK).
• India Rogers and Hollybrook Star (ISH).
• Tom Rowlatt McCormick and Mon Ami Alme (BE/SIES).
• Susan Shanahan and Eisfee (HANN) or Fernhill Whisper (ISH).
• Olivia Swan and Silver Bróg (ISH).

The non travelling reserves are Clodie Coen with Ballinglen Susies Master (ISH), Lucy Cosgrove with Kilcoltrim Swift (UNK), Ellen Creed with Interface (KWPN) and Darragh Hanlon with Marco (UNK).

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Sligo’s Howley scored another major international win in the two-star Grand Prix at Oliva in Spain, riding Arlo de Blondel.

From a list of 83 starters, 10 made it into the jump-off. At the end, Howley had almost two seconds to spare over British runner-up John Whitaker with Unick du Francport. Howley had also taken victory in Friday’s World Ranking class in Oliva with Chinook.

Denis Lynch and GC Chopin’s Bushi win in Germany

At Riesenbeck in Germany, Denis Lynch and GC Chopin’s Bushi took an impressive win in the feature 1m55 speed competition.

Drawn 11th to go of 53 competitors, Lynch set what proved an unbeatable clear in 64.02 seconds, winning almost €20,000.

Lynch had almost a second and a half to spare over German runner-up Maurice Tebbel with Don Diarado. Another German, Christian Kukuk, finished third with Quintino. Clare’s Eoin McMahon was also in the prizes and finished eighth with Chacon 2.

Cathal Daniels is runner-up in Portugal

In Eventing, Cathal Daniels and The Irish Sport Horse Shannondale Mari finished in runner-up spot in the CCI3*L at the Portugal Winter tour in Barroca d’Alva.

The pair finished on their Dressage score of 34.2 just 0.6 of a penalty behind the French winner Regis Prud Hon with Bennix de Bory.

Ireland’s Brian Kuehnle took fifth place with Tullybards Now Or Never on a score of 37.5.

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