Abbott shines for top 15 finish in Boekelo Nations Cup Final

Clare Abbott and Jewelent (ISH) jumping the water complex at the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Final in Boekelo

Clare Abbott was best of the Irish, with the team finishing in seventh place at the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Final, 2023

The final of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup series took place in Boekelo, The Netherlands, running from Wednesday to Sunday last week. The ever-popular CCI4* Long event once again attracted a large entry field, including 13 Irish athletes – four on Dag Albert’s team for the Nations Cup and the remaining athletes competing as individuals.

Irish Olympian Clare Abbott and the 11-year-old grey gelding Jewelent (ISH) proved best of the Irish. A competitive dressage score of 31.6 put them inside the top 30 heading into cross-country. Abbott was one of just 20 riders to go clear inside the time cross-country, moving her up to 12^th place ahead of the final show jumping phase.

One unlucky fence down dropped Abbott into 13^th place on a final score of 35.6. There was very little separating the top 15 combinations, with less than a show jumping fence between Abbott and eighth place.

Bred by J.W Rosbotham in Co. Armagh and owned in partnership between Barbra Allen and Lisa Rosbotham, the gelding ends the 2023 season with a series of excellent international results. Abbott and Jewelent made a winning return to international competition at Lisgarvan House International this summer, winning the CCI3*-S. They followed this result up with a second-place finish in the CCI4*-S Nations Cup at Ballindenisk before heading to Boekelo.

This combination is a welcome addition to the Irish squad having previously competed at the European Championship in Avenches in 2021 and represented the Irish Sport Horse studbook at Le Lion d’Angers as both a 6- and 7-year-old for the FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Eventing Championships for Young Horses in 2018 and 2019.

Victory went to French rider Nicolas Touzaint and Diabolo Menthe, who completed with a foot-perfect double clear on a score of 25.4. Belgian rider Lara De Liedekerke-Meier was second on 28.6. British rider Rosalind Canter completed the podium riding the Irish Sport Horse MHS Seventeen.

The 10-year-old bay gelding is by Callahan (HANN) and out of the Irish Sport Horse mare MHS Dancing Queen, he was bred by Mary Brennan from Co. Kilkenny.

MHS Seventeen was one of two Irish Sport Horses to finish inside the top five. Cooley Snapchat (ISH), ridden by British rider Selina Mills, finished fourth with a double clear. The 9-year-old bay gelding was bred by Alan Wheeler.

Finishing inside the top ten with Canter was Dassett Cooley Dun, the 17-year-old Irish-bred gelding was double clear to finish on 32.3 in eighth place.

In the team standings France posted a very convincing victory, finishing on a score of 97.8, over 10 marks ahead of Great Britain in second and Belgium in third. Ireland finished in seventh place out of the 12 teams competing.

Albert’s team consisted of Abbott and Jewelent, Robbie Kearns making his senior Nations Cup debut with Richard Ames’ Ballyvillane O.B.O.S (ISH), Ian Cassells with Shambo Super Flex (ISH), owned by Frances Corkery, and Sam Watson riding his own and Hannah Watson’s Ballyneety Rocketman (ISH).

Breeding:

Jewelent (ISH) – 2012 grey gelding by Valent (KWPN) and out of Bellaney Jewel (TB) (IRL), by Roselier (TB) (FR). Breeder: J.W Rosbotham Co Armagh. Owner: Barbara Allen & Lisa Rosbotham. Rider: Claire Abbott (IRL).

MHS Seventeen (ISH) – 2013 gelding by Callahan (HANN) out of MHS Dancing Queen (ISH) by Quidam Junior I (KWPN). Breeder: Mary Brennan, Co Kilkenny. Owner: Deirdre Johnston and Lady Milnes Coates. Rider: Rosalind Canter (GBR).

Cooley Snapchat (ISH) – 2014 gelding by Kannan (KWPN) out of Anabee Arkansas (ISH) by VDL Arkansas (KWPN). Breeder: Alan Wheeler, Co Limerick. Owner: Angela Rucker And William Rucker. Rider: Selina Mills (GBR).

Dassett Cooley Dun (UNK) – 2006 gelding. Owner: Kate Willis and Mel Pritchard. Rider: Rosalind Canter (GBR).

Ballyvillane OBOS (ISH) – 2013 gelding by O.B.O.S Quality 004 (OLD) out of Gleesons Coolcorran (ISH) [TIH] by Young Convinced (IRE) (TB). Breeder: Tim Gleeson, Co Tipperary. Owner: Richard Ames. Rider: Robbie Kearns (IRL).

Shanbo Super Flex (ISH) (AKA Super Flex) – 2014 mare by Flex A Bill (ISH)[TIH] out of Shanbo Happisfied (ISH)[TIH] by Kildalton King (ID). Breeder: Shanbo Stud, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Francis Corkery. Rider: Ian Cassels (IRL).

Ballyneety Rocketman (ISH)[TIH] (previously Haw Rocket & Ballyneety No Rocket) – 2014 gelding by Diamond Discovery (TB) out of Ballyneety Macrocket (ISH)[TIH] by Errigal Flight (ISH)[TIH]. Breeder: James Hickey, Co Limerick. Owner: Hannah Watson and Sam Watson. Rider: Sam Watson (IRL).