Ireland seventh after falls

IRELAND’S three-day eventers were placed seventh of 13 teams at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain yesterday, despite finishing with just two riders.

The team’s high hopes of a medal came to a crashing end on Saturday, when Eric Smiley riding Macloud and Sasha Harrison on All Love Du Fenaud were eliminated following falls.

Yesterday, the two remaining riders, Kildare’s Jane O’Flynn with Kilnadeema Star and Cork rider Patricia Donegan on Don’t Step Back concluded the three-phase event with scores of eight and 17 in the showjumping to place 20th and 32nd respectively.

For not finishing with a full complement, the team was penalised 1,000pts to bring their overall score to 1214.40. The team gold medal was won by the USA (175.40pen), with the silver going to France (192.40pen) and the bronze to Britain (199pen).

Ireland’s bid for glory was not helped on Saturday, when the organisers delivered their mounts to the wrong location. Only frantic efforts by chef d’equipe Helen Cantillon and the team groom ensured they arrived at the starting line on time.

Cantillon said: “Luckily, we allowed ourselved an extra hour and so got there on time. We are all professionals and just get on with it, but it definitely affected both the horses and riders.”

The Corkwoman, disappointed with the overall result, nevertheless took something positive from the performance of O’Flynn and Kilnadeema Star.

The horse only returned to serious competition at Punchestown in May following a lengthy lay-off with injury.

“It was the biggest course I’ve seen and, while I’m disappointed, the fact Jane O’Flynn finished in the top 20 is heartening.”

Individual rider Susan Shortt also came in for praise, jumping clear in yesterday’s showjumping on Just Beauty Queen to finish 28th.

But Ireland’s second individual rider Vina Buller was another casualty of the cross-country, her mount Glencara being eliminated at yesterday morning’s vet check with soreness.

The individual gold medallist was France’s Jean Teulere aboard Espoir de la Mare. Britain’s Jeanette Brakewell claimed silver on Over To You, with Finland’s Piia Pantsu on Ypaja Karuso winning bronze.

Ireland get two more bites at the cherry this week, with the showjumping team of Kevin Babington, Cian O’Connor, Peter Charles and Dermott Lennon and the endurance team in action.