Irish jumpers save the day but time for change has come

RELIEF was the overwhelming feeling emanating from the Irish camp in the final of the Samsung Super League final in Barcelona last Sunday, following the team’s battling performance. But the sense of satisfaction at a task completed was also palpable.

After all, the team of Shane Breen (World Cruise), Shane Carey (Killossery), Cian O’Connor (Irish Independent Echo Beach) and Billy Twomey (Anastasia III) had defied overwhelming odds to keep Ireland in the elite of show jumping nations.

Vainglorious they were not, for this was no victory. In essence, this was more a case of avoiding defeat. After this year’s turmoil, it would not have been an unexpected post-script to see the team relegated. Equal fourth place, thus, provided the opportunity to renew battle with the world’s top show jumping nations next year.