Irish in clear with O’Brien

IRELAND’S show jumpers yesterday won their second Nations Cup in a week, taking top spot in the Promotional League contest in Copenhagen.

Capt David O’Brien (Annestown), US-born Jennifer Crooks (SF Uryadi), Alexander Butler (Will Wimble) and Dermott Lennon (Kalvinretto) powered into a share of the lead at the halfway stage with not a single fault between them. Round two opened with Capt O’Brien repeating his first round clear and, while Crooks added eight and Butler finished with four, the team total of 12 faults proved good enough to beat a strong German team on 16 faults in the 15-nation event.

Last week, manager Robert Splaine led a team to victory in the first-tier FEI Nations Cup League opener in France, and the Corkman was delighted with the latest victory: “To finish on zero in the first round is very significant indeed. The purpose of these Promotional League Nations Cups is to produce horses for the top level and, while today was not at the very top level, it wasn’t very far off it, and to win was a special bonus.”