IRELAND'S pony team were victorious in the Nations' Cup at Wierden in the Netherlands this afternoon (Thursday), adding a second gold medal to their April triumph in the French Nations' Cup at Fontainebleau.

Ireland was leading with a zero score at half-time in the eight-nation Wierden contest, and added just four faults in the second round to come home well clear of runners-up Belgium, who finished on 13 faults in total.

Two of the Fontainebleau team, Shane Kenny from Co. Wexford and Co. Clare's Tom Foley, contributed clear rounds to today's score, while Kate McDonagh from Galway added another. Enniscorthy's Bertram Allen, however, anchored the Irish team's score with a superb double clear round on 'Acapella Z'.

Horse Sport Ireland's High Performance Coach Ian Fearon said from Wierden after today's win: "I am very happy with the home trials, for they gave me the team to come here, and from which we have won our second Nations' Cup this year. From here we go home and prepare for the European Championships. This was an outstanding performance from my ponies and riders as this was the European trials for the Dutch team, so the tracks were very challenging."
 

Bertram Allen