Double delight as Irish Juniors claim silver in Strzegom

The Irish Junior Eventing team of (L-R) Tom Nestor, Ava Dowley, Gearoid Bolger, Alex Connors, Matthew Love and Oleana Cowan

The GAIN Equine Nutrition Ireland Junior Eventing team won silver at the FEI European Championships in Stzregom on Sunday.

A superb performance secured an Irish runner-up finish, with Tom Nestor also winning individual silver on board Cooley Diamond Dancer (ISH) after a fantastic weekend of action.

Matthew Love with DSL Allegra (ISH), Alex Connors with OLS King Aragon (ISH), Oleana Cowan with RCA Royal Mist, Nestor with Cooley Diamond Dancer (ISH) and team manager Sue Shortt produced a brilliant performance from start to finish to take the silver medal. Germany topped the podium, while Great Britain took the bronze.

Shortt said: “I’m incredibly proud of the whole squad who competed at the Europeans in Stzregom last weekend.

”For our Juniors to be lying a close second after dressage, almost 7 penalties in front of Germany, is a testament to our coaches Gerald and Heike’s expertise.

“The riders showed their class over a big technical cross country course, and all jumped well on Sunday with an unlucky pole costing us double Gold.

”To come home with a Team and Individual silver medal and Team fourth with an inexperienced Young Rider team is an incredible achievement and it shows just how bright the future is for these athletes.”

Ireland lay in the silver medal position, just 0.8 penalties behind the leaders France before they moved into gold after cross county. Nestor also led individually as less than 4 penalties separated the top six individuals, with Alex Connors in fifth ahead of show jumping.

After Cowan, Connors and Love had jumped, Nestor and Cooley Diamond Dancer were the final combination into the arena, knowing a clear round would secure team and individual gold.

Following a flawless round, a desperately unlucky pole down at the final fence meant that Nestor and Ireland finished in second, capping off an excellent competition and continuing Ireland’s magnificent run of podium form at European Championships.

In the overall standings, Ireland also had two other top-10 finishes as Connors was seventh overall with OLS King Aragon and Love ninth with DSL Allegra.

Cowan and RCA Royal Mist were 19th overall, with Gearoid Bolger finishing in 31st place individually on board Into Mischief (ISH).

Also at Stzregom, the GAIN Equine Nutrition Ireland Young Rider Eventing team finished an excellent fourth place.

Led by Shortt, Keeva Johnson with Cornasaus Lad (ISH), Tara Murphy with Monbeg Maximus (ISH), Isny O’Donnell with Vital DK Z and Godfrey Gibbons with Milchem Miami (ISH) finished on 151.9 penalties. Great Britain topped the podium on 93.3 penalties followed by France on 94.9 penalties and Germany took the bronze medal on 98.2 penalties.

Breeding:

Milchem Miami (ISH) – 2016 mare by Glasgow Vant Merelsnest out of Mullentine White Diesel bred by Ralph Conroy

Cornasaus Lad (ISH) – 2008 gelding by Imperial Heights out of Cornasaus Lady bred by Amanda Vogan

Monbeg Maximus (ISH) – 2010 gelding by Emperor Augustus out of Pilltown Clover Rose bred by Patrick Doody

OLS King Aragon (ISH) – 2011 gelding by Samgemjee out of Just Beauty Queen bred by Kieran Connors

DSL Allegra (ISH) – 2014 mare by Jack of Diamonds out of Aquila bred by Messrs Wright & Bjoerk

Cooley Diamond Dancer (ISH) – 2012 gelding by Jack of Diamonds out of Lucy Blue bred by Claire McDonnell

Into Mischief (ISH) – 2014 gelding by OBOS Quality 004 out of Savanna Twist bred by Brianne Stanley

The Horse Sport Ireland Youth High Performance programme is sponsored by GAIN Equine Nutrition

Bucas – official supplier to Horse Sport Ireland’s High Performance programme

The Horse Sport Ireland Youth High Performance programme is kindly supported by Equieire, Dubarry, TRM Nutrition, Berney Bros Saddlery and Flex-On

The Irish High Performance Programme is exclusively funded by Sport Ireland