With the Young Riders gaining a creditable fifth place in the Nations' Cup team competition, where they lay in fifth place of 14 nations competing after the first round, the Junior team failed to make the cut with a total of 48 faults and finished in 16th place.

Under the management of Horse Sport Ireland High Performance Coach Comdt. John Ledingham, the Young Rider team managed only one clear round from David Simpson and the Irish-bred 'Cruise With Me', but a single jumping error from David Blake and 'Fabienne', and a total of five faults by Alex Duffy with 'Tampa' were enough to offset Kelly O'Connor's discard score of 21 with 'Doc Holliday'.

Earlier today the Junior Team of Nicolas Butler, Robert Harrison and Holly Gordon had an unfortunate first round and Ledingham decided not to jump fourth man Conor Drain when the team total hit 48 faults.

However, Alex Duffy's Wednesday win in the Individual Young Rider Qualifier with 'Tampa' remains the high point of the Championships for Ireland so far. Second rounds at both Junior and Young Rider level continue tomorrow (Friday) along with individual rankings.