Irish challenge fails at first fence

Ireland failed to make it past the first round in yesterday’s second-division Belgian Nations Cup at Lummen.

Dermott Lennon and Loughview Lou Lou opened with a single error, but Alexander Butler failed to find his recent form and added 17 faults with Will Wimble. Edward Doyle and Samgemgee four-faulted, while Shane Breen and Cos I Can finished with eight.

Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine said: “We were on a slightly different mission to most of the teams at the Lummen Nations’ Cup, which for me was a fact-finding exercise.