Flawless Ireland dominate to win League of Nations first leg

The Irish team of Trevor Breen, Jason Foley, Team Manager Michael Blake, Mikey Pender and Denis Lynch after the win

A flawless performance from The Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping team secured a dominant victory in the first leg of the Longines League of Nations, Abu Dhabi this afternoon.

Micheal Blake’s team of Denis Lynch, Trevor Breen, Jason Foley and Mikey Pender came into the competition as the world number one-ranked nation, and cemented that position with a dominant success.

The Irish finished on a perfect score of zero faults to finish eight clear of UAE, with France in third on 12.

Delighted Chef d’Equipe Blake couldn’t hide his ecstasy after the huge win, saying: “What a victory – what a performance from the lads and their horses.

“We came in here as the number one team and that brings pressure, but these lads thrive on that pressure and produced a brilliant afternoon of jumping.

“To a man, they were exceptional. Denis has been in incredible form recently with Vistogrand and he led the way with a double clear.

“Trevor has come back from an awful injury, and for him to do that out there just shows the measure of the man.

“Jason too, this is his five-star debut on a brand-new horse, and they were clean as a whistle, and when you need Mikey to produce the goods for you he does it. It’s magic, it really is. I’m over the moon for everyone involved.”

Ireland got off to the perfect start when Lynch and his sensational 12 year old Vistogrand produced a stunning clear round as pathfinder.

The pair have been in sparkling form of late, including World Cup podium finishes, and were foot perfect around Santiago Varela’s course at Abu Dhabi.

That was one of five clear rounds across the 11 nations from the first line riders, which set Blake’s team up nicely and, after his round, Lynch said: “Vistogrand was excellent, as he has been over the last weeks. He showed incredible consistency.

“That formed the decision to send me in first, which I’ve done plenty of times. It’s a very fair, very good course. He was very kind to me over the water to the double verticals and showed great balance. I didn’t actually think I rode that well enough, but then obviously he showed all his class and quality on the way home.

“This is probably the proudest thing we can do is a professional rider; to represent your country And Michael already had a discussion with me around November last year planning already for Abu Dhabi and Ocala and shows ahead. So, I committed early and I’m delighted that he has selected me once again. You want to set your mark straight away and show to the rest of the countries around the world that we mean business and that this is very serious – and of course put your best foot forward.”

Like Lynch before him, Breen was magnificent on Highland President to produce a second clear round. It meant Ireland were one of just three nations with clears from their first two combinations, alongside hosts UAE and France, with Jason Foley and Mikey Pender to come.

Jason Foley and Chedington Hazy Toulana jumping the water on their five-star Nations Cup debut for Ireland

Foley and his brand new mare Chedington Hazy Toulana were Ireland’s third combination into the arena and their third to leave all poles standing.

Unluckily, they were just over a second over the time allowed and incurred two times faults. Nonetheless, it was a very promising round from the Carlow man and his new mare.

Foley was thrilled with his round and said: “I’m absolutely delighted, there are a couple of people who had a good bit of faith for me to come here today with that mare, having only had her a few weeks.

“Obviously with this being my first five star it was a big, big ask but I’m delighted with the result, and from a team perspective as well. We’re relying on Mikey now for a clean sheet so hopefully, hopefully we can win the second round with a zero score.”

Ireland’s anchor, Pender, with pressure on after the UAE and France had both finished round one on a zero score, needed a clear on HHS Los Angeles (ISH) to also end round one faultless, which they did in style.

After the break, with Ireland third last to jump, Lynch knew that nothing short of a double clear on Vistogrand was required and such is the confidence coursing through his veins at present, the Tipperary man duly delivered.

It kept Ireland on zero and with the UAE erring, dropping two poles through Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi and Enjoy de la Mure, it meant it was Blake’s side level with France at the head of affairs, with two combinations each left to jump.

There were incredibly emotional scenes as Breen, who underwent emergency surgery and was placed in an induced coma after suffering three fractures to his neck and spine following a fall last May from Highland President during the Grand Prix of Hamburg, secured a double clear round.

With French rider Jeanne Sadran and Dexter de Kerglenn having 12 faults, it meant Pender had a fence in hand to secure the victory. It was never in doubt as the 25-year-old came home with yet another Irish double clear to hand Ireland the momentous win.

BREEDING: HHS Los Angeles (ISH) – 2014 mare by Le Roi (ZDP) out of China Cavalier (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Breeder: Marion Hughes. Owner: Bravo Hughes Ltd. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL).