Ireland joint-fifth in France

Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine’s prediction that yesterday’s French Nations Cup would be a difficult test proved accurate, as Ireland finished joint fifth of the eight teams.

Despite clears from Shane Sweetnam, Jessica Kürten and Cian O’Connor, Ireland finished on 12 faults with Britain and Switzerland, giving Splaine food for thought as he prepares to announce his squads next week for the Italian and Swiss outings.

“This was a very tough competition. Olympic qualification was at stake for many of the combinations at La Baule today, so the level of competition was incredible.

“All of our riders put in good performances, but at the end of the day we just didn't get enough clear rounds.”

The damage was done in round one, with a clear from pathfinders Sweetnam and Amaretto D’Arco followed by four apiece from O’Connor (Blue Loyd) and Denis Lynch (Lantinus), while Kürten (Vincente) provided the discard score of five faults. Round two saw Sweetnam rue a single error, but this was followed by clears from Kürten and O’Connor, with Tipperary’s Lynch again adding four faults.

The competition was won by Belgium following a jump-off with neighbours the Netherlands, with Sweden jumping four second-round clears to place third on five faults, one better than fourth-placed Germany.

O’Connor conceded the first-round performance needed to be better.

“Obviously, having won last year, we would have preferred to do better and will need to look at an improved performance in our first round next time out,” said the Meath-based rider, who with Blue Loyd has jumped three clear rounds out of four in nations cups this season.

“I am excited with what lies ahead this summer. It is my intention to jump as many nations cup competitions as possible with Blue,” said O’Connor who, while he admitted that he has ambitions to take one of the two individual slots available for Ireland in the Olympics, feels he still needs to prove he is worthy of carrying Irish hopes in London 2012.

“It’s early days, but I’m very pleased with how the horse is developing and we will take one show at a time,” said O’Connor, who will ride KEC Alligator Alley in tomorrow’s grand prix.