Ireland score fourth Nations Cup win of the season with dominant display in Canada

  • 5 June 2022, 23:10

Michael Blake’s Irish Show Jumping team of Daniel Coyle, Andrew Bourns, Shane Sweetnam and Conor Swail have taken a commanding victory in tonight’s (Sunday) five-star Longines FEI Nations Cup at Langley, British Columbia in Canada.

(l-r) The victorious Irish team of Andrew Bourns, Daniel Coyle, Michael Blake (team manager), Shane Sweetnam and Conor Swail following the Canadian Nations Cup (Photos: Quinn Saunders)

Heavy rain before and during the competition did little to dampen Irish spirits, as they took the lead at the halfway stage and held it through to the finish. Derry’s Daniel Coyle was first to go with the Ariel Grange-owned Legacy and they finished with one fence down for four faults. Ireland then took control with two clears in quick succession from Galway’s Andrew Bourns with The Irish Sport Horse Sea Topblue, owned by QBS Equestrian and from Cork’s Shane Sweetnam with another Irish Sport Horse – James Kann Cruz owned by Gizmo Partners. Co Down’s Conor Swail was last to go for the Irish in the first round with with Count Me In, owned by Sandy Lupton & Mannon Farm and they finished with four faults to leave Ireland on a first round score of four faults – five faults ahead of Australia who were in second at that stage.

Coyle and Legacy got Ireland off to a perfect start in the second round with a clear. Andrew Bourns then completed a brilliant double clear round with Sea Topblue (ISH) which put Ireland within touching distance of victory. Sweetnam then sealed the Irish win when he came home with just a time fault, meaning World No.5 Conor Swail didn’t need to jump in the second round as Ireland could not be beaten on a two round total of five faults. Mexico finished as runners-up on 13 faults, while Austrailia finished third on 22 faults.

The win in Canada is Ireland’s fourth Nations Cup victory of the 2022 season so far, with the win in Langley (CAN) coming on the back of victories in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Florida (USA) and Lisbon (POR).

Ireland now turn their attention to their first points-scoring Longines FEI Nations Cup in Europe Division 1 which takes place at Sopot in Poland next Sunday. The competition will be shown live on the RTE News Channel (Saorview 21, Virgin 200, Sky 578, Eir 500 & on the RTÉ Player) from 1pm on Sunday June 12th.

BREEDING

Sea Topblue (ISH) – 2011 gelding by Chacco Blue (MECKL) out of Sea Top Lady (ISH) by Lux Z (HANN). Breeders: James & John Meade, Co. Clare.
CSF James Kann Cruz (ISH) by Kannan (KWPN) out of CSF Telly Cruz (ISH) by Cruising(ISH) [TIH] Breeder: Patrick Connolly

The Irish Show Jumping team is sponsored by The Underwriting Exchange
Equiline – Official athlete clothing supplier of Horse Sport Ireland

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