Ireland all out of luck as USA hold nerve in gripping Aga Khan battle

Americans take home coveted trophy thanks to winning by the narrowest margins in front of a captivated crowd at the RDS

RAISING THE ROOD: Denis Lynch of Ireland, competing on Vistogrand, during Aga Khan Day at the Dublin Horse Show at the RDS Arena in Dublin. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

The Irish showjumping team put in a belligerent performance to finish runners-up to the USA in a three-hour extravaganza of showjumping which went to the wire, with only one fence dividing the two countries as the Americans hoisted aloft the coveted gold Aga Khan Trophy.

Packed grandstands and a whirling breeze set the stage for The Underwriting Exchange Nations' Cup of Ireland with eight countries battling it out over a substantial track built by Alan Wade.

The pounding hooves of five-star horses kept the spectators at the edge of their seats as the thrills and spills over the 1.60m track showed off the talents of accurate riders and horses with amazing talents.

In an eventual clash of the titans, USA and Ireland played a cat-and-mouse game taking it to the wire as Cian O'Connor on Fancy de Kergane, a bay French bred stallion owned by Susan Magnier of Coolmore, produced a stunning clear round. The USA had been in the lead with four faults but O'Connor left them under pressure to deliver a zero round as their fourth man McLain Ward took on the challenge.

The Anglesea Stand, on her last farewell before being demolished, had hundreds of spectators gripping their seats as double team Olympic silver medallist Ward set off on a round which left no room for error. As he galloped through the finish line, Ward was elated as he and colleague Spencer Smith never touched a fence over two rounds. 

“We were a little out of luck today,” Ireland’s Chef d’Equipe Michael Blake said. “I’m so proud of our lads, though. After a long year they’ve done a great job. If things had been just a little different we’d have won, but we were very close. We’ve gone to America twice and beaten them on their home soil and I suppose they’ve paid us back now."

As the USA collected a cheque for €64,000 and the Aga Khan, chef d'equipe Robert Ridland paid tribute to his riders: "It was a class with electricity in the air, the Aga Khan is what we live for. We have had a good couple of weeks for sure and to follow up the Olympics with Dublin and the now Aga Khan is something very very special. It was a pretty exciting class, it definitely went down to the end, and to beat the home team we were pretty excited because they had beaten us too many times up until now.'

Show Director Pat Hanley was please that the drama went to the very last. "It was a huge crowd, great excitement, in fairness to course builder Alan Wade the tension was there right to the end," Hanley said. "I was in the pocket and we didn't know right till then end what the placings would be and that makes for very good sport. There were a lot of big fences in there, both technical and difficult. I just want to congratulate the American team, McLain in particular."

Ireland finished only a fence behind the USA on 8 faults received €40,000 and were delighted with their opening round clears from Darragh Kenny with VDL Cartello, Mark McAuley on GRS Lady Amaro and Denis Lynch with his black stallion Vistogrand.

At the halfway mark Ireland and USA shared the lead, but the second round took its toll on most of the countries as the fences fell and riders lost concentration. 

"It was a nice simple flowing course and any mistakes were punished," Wade said. "The fact the spectators stayed to the very end and it came down to the wire was excellent. Sometimes you have a first round were many riders go clear, then in the second round it gets tougher. Fitness and stamina and the how much blood a horse has is important. This is the most important day in Ireland for showjumping and when you have tension to the very end, then you know that it was a worthwhile job."

The logistics of the track saw fence 12, the Liverpool vertical phone box fence, fall six times in round one and five times in round five. The water jump had four horses splash into it for four faults while fence five, with its gold solid upright poles, was knocked down by eight horses overall.

Great Britain's team, winners of the Olympic gold medal, didn't manage to catch Ireland and finished in third place on 12 faults ahead of Belgium in fourth and Switzerland in fifth.