The Underwriting Exchange Irish Jumping Team were agonisingly denied a Longines League of Nations Final win by 0.23 seconds after a jump-off in Barcelona this afternoon.
At the culmination of an afternoon of high drama, there were no faults separating Michael Blake’s men and Olympic champions Britain – both finishing on 16 faults over two rollercoaster rounds of jumping.
The biggest prize in international Nations Cup jumping would be decided by the jump-off, with Blake sending Billy Twomey and Jumping Jack Van De Kalevellai in for Ireland.
They jumped clear in a quick 38.42 seconds, laying it down to Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson. It was razor thin at the death but Brash was the smallest shade quicker in 38.19 seconds and Britain landed the spoils. Defending champions Germany finished third on a score of 21 faults.
An emotional Blake, whose tenure as Ireland manager officially ends tomorrow after eight years in the role, said: “It really would have been perfect to have gone out with a win – especially in a competition like this. You could see by the line-ups here just how much the best nations in the world wanted to win it, and we gave it everything.
“It really was a brilliant performance from the lads, and to be beaten in a jump-off by less than a quarter of a second is a tough one to swallow at the moment but the overwhelming feeling is one of pride today.
“I’ve had an incredible run as High Performance Manager, or Chef d’Equipe as we like to be known, with so many highlights – days I’ll never forget like our Aga Khan win, our European Championship silver and Nations Cup wins at shows such as Rome, Aachen, La Baule, Ocala, Abu Dhabi and Spruce Meadows, as well as the European gold in Gothenburg when I worked with Rodrigo Pessoa.
“It’s the greatest honour to wear the green jacket and to have led the team for so many years, with all those massive highs, has been truly a privilege.
“There are too many thank yous, from my riders and support staff, as well as vet Marcus Swail, Guy Hodgson, our grooms and owners, staff in Horse Sport Ireland and our magnificent sponsors – nothing could be done without them all. It wasn’t the fairytale ending we’d hoped for but it sure was close!”
Ireland lay in seventh position of the nine nations after round one but it wasn’t a reflection of the performance, such was the narrow margins between first and seventh.
It was only time that separated the Irish from second-placed Germany on eight faults, with The Netherlands alone at the head of affairs on a four-fault score.
Blake’s men were desperately unlucky to not be level with the leaders on a score of four, with Twomey and Jumping Jack Van De Kalevellai jumping perfectly until the plank at the last came down as the anchor combination.
Ireland were performing most consistently of all nations, with four faults each for Mikey Pender and HHS Los Angeles (ISH), Sean Monaghan with Toyger, and Twomey adding to a magnificent clear for Allen with Quonquest De Rigo.
That consistency remained through round two, with Allen delivering a sparkling double clear, and Twomey and Monaghan adding just four faults each, leading to the jump-off.
HSI CEO, Denis Duggan said: “Huge congratulations to the Irish team led by Michael Blake on today’s fantastic result in Barcelona.
“Against the world’s best, our riders and their horses done their country proud once again in finishing runners-up at the Longines League of Nations final.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Stephen O’Connor and The Underwriting Exchange for their sponsorship and support of the programme over the last 10 years and look forward to working with them again in the future.
“Finally, I’d like to thank Michael for the work he has done in the role of High Performance Manager – the Irish team has achieved great things during Michael’s tenure and it is in a very strong position going forward thanks to the work he has put into the programme.”
O’Connor, Chairman of The Underwriting Exchange and whose wife Catherine owns Toyger, said: “What a brilliant achievement. It was a massive team effort all week, from management, riders and grooms, owners and horses.
“Billy was foot perfect in the jump-off to put it up to Scott Brash and it’s the tiniest margins, but everyone should be extremely proud.
“We are particularly proud of Sean to step up in that arena against mainly the teams from Paris 12 months ago. He and Toyger were magnificent out there.
“Congratulations too to Michael on the result and all of his brilliant results as manager – we arguably have some of the best riders in the world and he has overseen some exceptional results.
“Finally, there was a €5,000 bonus to the grooms of the winning team today in Barcelona, which we said we would match if Ireland won.
“As it came down to a jump-off, we are delighted to sign off our 10-year sponsorship period to pay the grooms’ bonus to the Irish grooms. Well done to Anna, Asia, Lovisa and especially Kim who does so much with Toyger. As sponsors, it really feels like a fantastic way to step out.“
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).