Ireland miss podium by a fraction at Aachen

15 August 2015, 13:25

IRELAND’s eventers came agonizingly close to securing a podium finish yesterday (Friday) at the three-star Nations’ Cup in Aachen, Germany, a result made all the more impressive by the fact that the team suffered the loss of Mark Kyle before the competition began when his horse Jemilla was found not to be 100% fit after traveling to the event.

Without the benefit of a discard score, the team of Padriag McCarthy, riding Simon Porloe, Austin O’Connor with Kilpatrick Knight and Michael Ryan on Dunlough Striker rose to the challenge and finished in fourth place on 193.40, just fractions behind third-placed USA who ended on 192.90.

Lying 9th after dressage, the Irish moved up a place following the show jumping phase in which they incurred just eight faults between them, and continued the progress in the cross country stage, which propelled the team to within a whisker of third place at the finish.

Germany won the competition with New Zealand taking second place.