Faultless Kerins helps Irish ease relegation fears with Swedish win

IRELAND’S show jumpers fulfilled the promise they proffered all season by winning the Meydan Swedish Nations Cup in Falsterbo yesterday.

US-based Sligo man Darragh Kerins, riding Night Train, was the main player of the Irish performance, producing one of only two double clears in the contest.

Ireland were joint second at the half-way stage on nine faults, five coming from Cameron Hanley on Livello and four from Denis Lynch with Lantinus, but both matched Kerins with zero tallies next time out to leave the team total untouched on nine.

Captain David O’Brien and Kiltoom provided the discard in each round, with 10 faults in the first, followed by 13 in the second.

A clear round from Swedish anchorman Rolf Goran-Bengtsson would have forced a jump-off with the Irish, but he ended on five faults with Kiara La Silla, leaving the hosts runners-up on 14 faults.

Early leaders Switzerland ended tied with France for third place on 17 faults.

Ireland now move to sixth of the 10 countries in the Meydan Series, greatly easing the relegation pressure ahead of the last two legs in Hickstead and Dublin Horse Show.

Earlier, Cameron Hanley won the show’s derby qualifier on VDL Rocksina.

At the five-star show in San Patrignano, Cork man Billy Twomey won a two-phase class with Blue Thunder.