KILDARE'S Camilla Speirs saw victory slip from her grasp in the last phase of the prestigious CCI3* Under-25 class at Bramham in England this morning (Sunday) when she battled it out with eventual British winner Helen Dunning.

Twenty one year-old Speirs, riding the Crosskeys Rebel bay gelding 'Portersize Just a Jiff', had led the 34-strong field through dressage, and when she went clear on Saturday's cross-country course became the overnight leader for the final, show jumping, test today.

Second-last to go Dunning rode a careful round and picked up two time faults, forcing the Irish rider to jump clear in order to take the trophy, but Speirs had one vital fence down and had to settle for the runner-up spot.

Today's competition has a heritage that includes wins in the past by Eventing legends such as Piggy French and Zara Phillips during the earlier parts of their career.

In the senior competition, the CCI3*, Wexford's Mark Kyle was best of the Irish in 11th place with the Ghareeb grey gelding 'Coolio', and also took 15th with 'Just Otto'. Frances Younghusband was in 20th with the Aldatus Z gelding 'Shanaclough Crecora'. The winner of the CCI3*, in which 76 world-class combinations started on Thursday, was Germany's Kai Rueder with Saaten Unions Charley Weld.

Kyle was also in 11th place in the CIC3* class, riding the Cavalier Royale gelding 'Nitetime Cavalier'. New Zealand's Jonathan Paget with Clifton Lush won the competition.

Camilla Speirs