Top five place in sight, says Splaine

IRELAND’S show jumpers yesterday scraped into the last round of the team contest at the World Equestrian Games at Aachen, Germany today when placing 10th.

Shane Breen was the hero, producing a clear with World Cruise. Super sub Marie Burke — who was drafted into the team on Tuesday when Cian O’Connor’s horse Waterford Crystal was injured — was unlucky to four fault when her stallion Chippison threw a shoe mid-round. It left the team in a good position at the half-way stage of yesterday’s 25-nation competition. However, Cameron Hanley, riding SIEC Hippica Kerman and Billy Twomey on Luidam followed with nine faults each to see the quartet just get into today’s final round, as one of the top 10 teams, on a total of 24.08.

The Netherlands, who have been battling all season to stay in the Samsung Super League, are the leaders with 7.01 faults going into today’s deciding round. The Ukraine, a team of Dutch and Belgian riders put together by Ukrainian businessman Alexander Onishchenko and completed only two months ago, are next best on 13.17, while the US are third on 14.85.

American Beezie Madden (Authentic) heads the individual rankings.

Despite the dip in fortune, Irish team manager Robert Splaine was last night confident a place in the first five could be achieved, securing Olympic qualification.

“Shane was fantastic and Marie lost a shoe at the fence before she had her fence down. This caused Chippison to waver. I am sure he would not have had a fence down otherwise.

“After Shane and Marie’s rounds, it looked like we might improve our position, but then Billy and Cameron had nine faults each, though I felt the horses were jumping better than score reflected,” said Cork man Splaine.

“I feel we are still in with a chance of making the top five. With the class that is here, it will be difficult to win a medal. I can assure you though we’ll come out fighting tomorrow.”