Pemble ends 20-year drought for Irish eventing

SACHA PEMBLE ended a 20-year drought for Irish eventing yesterday when she won the feature three-star class at the Punchestown International Horse Trials.

The English-born 29-year-old, who declared for Ireland in answer to the wishes of her Galway grandmother, knocked two fences in yesterday’s rain-hit show jumping phase with I’ve Been Dun, but managed to hold on for a winning margin of 2.2 penalties and a completion score of 87.3.

The last Irish winner of the main class at Punchestown came in 1986, with well-known racehorse trainer Jessica Harrington and Coppit taking the honours.