Strong finish from Ireland’s Austin O’Connor as he takes 13th in Olympic Eventing Final – Irish team eighth

Cork’s Austin O’Connor and the Irish-bred gelding Colorado Blue, owned by the Salty Syndicate, have finished best of the Irish in 13th place following a brilliant performance in today’s (Monday) individual final of the Eventing competition at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue pictured during their sensational performance in the Olympic Eventing Cross Country (Photo: FEI/ Libby Law Photography)

Austin O’Connor was in 49th place following Friday’s opening Dressage phase but climbed a massive 29 places to 20th after a stunning Cross Country performance on Saturday where they jumped clear inside the time. They lowered a single fence in this morning’s first Show Jumping round and that moved them up another two places to 18th to comfortably finish among the top 25 who qualified for the individual final.

A tough final of the individual competition saw O’Connor post the first round inside the time allowed with one fence down. That left him in 13th place at the finish on a final score of  46.0.

Germany’s Julia Krajewski and Amande De B’Neville are the new Olympic Eventing individual Gold Medal winners after they finished on a final score of 26.0. Britain’s Tom McEwen took silver with Toledo De Kerser (29.3), while the bronze has gone to Australia’s Andrew Hoy and Vassily De Lassos (29.6)

Sam Watson of Ireland riding Tullabeg Flamenco (ISH) during the eventing cross country team and individual session at the Sea Forest Cross-Country Course during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Carlow’s Sam Watson and the Vahe Bogossian-owned Tullabeg Flamenco (ISH) finished in 30th place overall on a score of 55.30 after picking up 8 penalties in the final jumping phase.

Sarah Ennis and Horseware Woodcourt Garrison (ISH)

Meath’s Sarah Ennis and the Breda Kennedy-owned Horseware Woodcourt Garrison (ISH) finished in 36th place on 79.70 with just one fence down in their jumping round.

IRELAND EIGHTH IN OLYMPIC TEAM COMPETITION

O’Connor, Watson, Ennis and reserve athlete Cathal Daniels made up the Irish team managed by Sally Corscadden who finished in eighth place overall of 14 teams on a score of 177.0 following the conclusion of the Olympic Eventing team competition in Tokyo.  The Olympic Eventing team gold medal went to a British team which included The Irish Sport Horse Ballaghmor Class, who was bred in Co Limerick by the late Noel Hickey and was produced in Co Kilkenny as a young horse by Katherine Charlton. Britain finished on a team total of 86.30 with the silver medal going to Australia (100.2) while France took home the bronze (101.5).

SHOW JUMPING

There is plenty more equestrian action remaining at the Olympic Games with Michael Blake’s Irish Show Jumping team of Bertram Allen, Darragh Kenny, Cian O’Connor and Shane Sweetnam (reserve) starting the individual competition tomorrow, Tuesday, with 30 of the 75 starters set to qualify for the individual final on Wednesday August 4th. The first round of the Show Jumping team competition takes place on Friday August 6th, with 10 of the 20 teams looking to book a place in the team final on Saturday August 7th.

BREEDING

Austin O’Connor with Colorado Blue (SHBGB) – 2009 grey gelding by Jaguar Mail out of Rock Me Baby by Rock Kind. Breeder: Mellon Stud, Owner Austin O’Connor and The Salty Syndicate

Sam Watson with Tullabeg Flamenco (ISH) – 2009 gelding by Tullabeg Fusion [ISH] out of Tullabeg Heidi (unk) by Ardenteggle Sir (IPSA). Breeder: Nicholas Cousins (Wexford). Owner: Vahe Bogossian

Sarah Ennis with Horseware Woodcourt Garrison (ISH) [was Woodcourt Garrison] – 2009 gelding by Garrison Royal (ISH) out of Davitt Star (ISH) by Furisto (HANN). Breeder: Patrick J Kearns (Laois). Owner: Breda Kennedy

Oliver Townend with Ballaghmor Class (ISH) 2007 gelding by Courage II (HOLST) out of Kilderry Place (ISH) (no dam of sire recorded). He was bred by Noel Hickey of Co. Limerick, ridden by Oliver Townend (GBR) and owned by Val Ryan, Angela Hislop and Karyn Shuter.