CORK teenager Abbie Sweetnam (14) was the toast of Hagen after she pulled off a great win in the Pony Grand Prix at the Germany venue last weekend.

Abbie, a niece of USA-based international show jumper Shane Sweetnam, registered the only double clear round of the competitive Pony Grand Prix class with her pony Spartacus Reape.

Ireland’s Michael Pender and Imagine If One (ISH) were fourth in the Grand Prix with only four faults on the board in the exciting jump-off while Kayleigh Soden took eighth place with four faults in the first round on Castle Hill King.

Sweetnam also rode Dynamite Spartacus to a second place finish last Saturday evening.

Meanwhile in the young rider Grand Prix at Hagen, Mayo’s Jonathan Gordon was best of the Irish, taking eighth place with Emma Brown 2, with victory going to Germany’s Maurice Tebbel and Chaccos’ Son.

NATIONS CUP

Irish pony riders put in a brave and gallant performance to land a top five finish for Ireland at Hagen when finishing equal second to Britain.

The in-form British team came home after two rounds with a zero score on the board, while Ireland, under chef d’equipe Tom Slattery, shared second place on eight faults with France and Germany.

The Irish pony team was Olivia Roulston on Ballygawleys Little Ferro (ISH) (0/4); Abbie Sweetnam on Spartacus Reape (0/0); Luke Garrigan on Dr. Spot (4/0) and Hannah O’Shea/More Clover (ISH) (8/0). Tom Slattery told The Irish Field: “It was a great result, I was delighted with the team’s Nations Cup performance and for Abbie Sweetnam winning the Grand Prix from 68 starters was just tremendous.

“There were only five clears and Abbie rode the only double clear, a wonderful performance. The courses throughout at Hagen were very big and technical. It was a trial for the Europeans and it really was a stiff challenge.

“In the Nations Cup, three of our riders were on their Nations Cup debut but by round two, they were all clear, all four of them and we were the only country to do that which sayes something about the standard of riding.

“Next up, we have another trial for the Europeans in Abbotstown (July 6th-7th) which will be followed by two days training before the final selections for September are made,’’ said Slattery.

The young rider team, under chef d’equipe Comdt. John Ledingham, finished equal fourth of 11 teams competing. The young rider Nations’ Cup saw Italy triumphant on six faults, while Ireland shared the fourth place with Germany on 28 faults.

The Irish young rider team included Eoin McMahon on Prophan (4/0); Jeremy Sweetnam on Tango d’Ecry (16/13); Michael G. Duffy on Bocello (5/9) and Jonathan Gordon on Emma Brown (2 5/5).

The Irish junior team took third place in their Nations’ Cup on a score of 14 faults, with France the victors on five faults. Earlier, the children on horses team finished second in their Nations’ Cup after a jump-off with Germany and Britain.