Valiant Europeans fourth for GAIN Equine Nutrition Irish Junior Show Jumping Team

  • 18 July 2024, 18:47

Coen Williams and Conthanja jumping to a clear round at the FEI Junior Jumping Championship in Peelbergen. Pic Sportfot

The GAIN Equine Nutrition Irish Junior Show Jumping Team finished an agonising fourth at the FEI European Championship in Peelbergen this afternoon.

James Kernan’s quartet of Emily Moloney with Temple Alice, James Brennan with Eskola M, Eoin Brennan with Mhs Everything and Coen Williams with Conthanja, made a charge in the second round, having gone into it in sixth place overnight on a score total of 16.61.

That left the team with plenty to do to peg back leaders France on a score of 9.06 but this team are made of stern stuff and got straight down to the business of hunting their rivals down.

Moloney and Temple Alice were first into the arena and were foot perfect to give Ireland hope, jumping superbly for a clear round. They were followed by Eoin Brennan and Eskola M, who duly obliged with their own clear round for Ireland to move Ireland into the medal positions at that point.

There was an unlucky four faults for James Brennan and Eskola M and that left it to Coen Williams and Conthanja to keep Ireland in the mix.

In a miraculous piece of riding, Williams somehow managed to keep the clear round intact halfway around as Conthanja got in far too deep before getting over the fence and stay on the pace before coming home with zero faults.

With France having secured gold and Britain at least a silver, it was all down to final Spanish rider Olivia Alvarez García and Gazquine Tag, who jumped clear and send her team into a jump-off for silver and bronze, which Britain prevailed in.

On the individual front, Williams’ heroics mean he is very much in the mix for a medal after his heroics, and he lies in sixth place overnight, very much within touching distance of all those in front of him.

The Irish Young Riders team are in a commanding overnight position ahead of tomorrow’s final, lying in the gold medal position after some excellent displays this morning as they lead on a score of 5.74.

The team of Niamh McEvoy with Jasmim Da Hermida, Tom Wachman with Cathalina S, Max Wachman with Kilkeeny (ISH) and Francis Derwin with Flexi K (ISH) lead the standings ahead of tomorrow’s final, with Germany in second on 20.03 and France in third on 22.98.

All four are extremely well positioned individually, with Tom Wachman in the gold medal position, McEvoy in second, Derwin in ninth and Wachman in 11th.

Tom Wachman and McEvoy both jumped clear rounds to leave them ideally placed for individual medals, with Max Wachman and Derwin both only having one pole down to keep themselves in the hunt.