Ireland qualify for Longines EEF Series final

Jenny Rankin on Ibiza (Sportfot)

Stirring second round fightback secures podium finish in Deauville semi

The Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping team has qualified for the final of the Longines EEF Series Nations Cup in Warsaw in September, after a stirring second round fightback earned a podium position in Deauville this afternoon.

This performance illustrated the depth of Irish show jumping given that another team was also competing in the Longines League Of Nations at Rotterdam.

It was a real team effort too as while no Irish combination managed a double clear, each of them recorded one.

Three of those arrived in the second round to secure third, as Tyrone’s Jenny Rankin recovered from her opening eight-fault outing on Blackwood Group’s Ibiza to get the comeback under way.

Tipperary man Tom Wachman, on Coolmore Showjumping’s Berlux Z, and Galwegian Jessica Burke, riding the Liam Nicholas-owned-and-bred Irish Sport Horse Express Trend, followed suit to achieve the primary target of qualification to the final.

The Nations Cup was won in convincing fashion by Spain, thanks to double clears from Mariano Martinez Bastida and Iván Serrano Sáez, while Sergio Alvarez Moya and Imma Roquet Autonell had faultless efforts in their first and second goes respectively to take the spoils without a blemish.

Great Britain finished second on four faults, with the Ireland just behind on five faults.

With Michael Blake in Rotterdam, Taylor Vard was on chef d’equipe duties, and his half-time team talk certainly worked the oracle as his crew turned around a perilous position at the end of the opening stanza.

Ireland were fifth at that juncture, with only five nations progressing to the decider in Poland.

Tom Wachman’s brother Max posted a vital clear round on the Irish Sport Horse Kilkenny, who is owned by Susan Magnier and was bred by Ita Brennan, while Tom and Berlux Z made no jumping errors but were marginally over the time allowed to register one fault.

Burke and Express Express Trend (ISH) had one down in the anchor leg but a vast improvement after the resumption ensured it was job done for the Underwriting Exchange sponsored outfit.

BREEDING

KILKENNY (ISH) – 2012 gelding by Cardento (HOLST) out of MHS Pembrook Lady (ISH) by Guidam (SF). Breeder: Ita Brennan, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Susan Magnier. Rider: Cian O’Connor / Max Wachman (IRL).

EXPRESS TREND (ISH) – 2010 gelding by Future Trend (OLD) out of Condios Express (ISH) by Condios (HOLST). Breeder and owner: Liam Nicholas. Rider: Jessica Burke (IRL).