BELGIUM secured an incredible hat-trick of wins in all three categories at the FEI European Championships 2021 for Young Riders, Juniors and Children on Horses in Vilamoura, Portugal, last weekend.

In the Young Rider team competition, an experienced Irish team won the silver medal. Liam Buckley’s team of Jack Ryan, Sean Monaghan, Harry Allen, Jason Foley and Kayleigh Soden finished on a score of 23.56, less than a fence behind the winners who scored 21.35. Britain completed the podium to win bronze on 28.72.

After a solid start on Thursday, the Irish went into the final on five faults and added another eight faults to their team total. Jack Ryan rode his mother Marguerite’s home-bred BBS McGregor to a brilliant clear round. Sean Monaghan finished with eight faults aboard Nikki Walker’s Dalvaro, which was discarded, before Harry Allen picked up four faults with Ballywalter Bloodstock’s 10-year-old stallion Guinness.

Second last to go in the competition, a clear round from Jason Foley with Breen Equestrian’s Clyde VA would have put the pressure on Belgium. However, they finished with four faults to secure the silver medal.

Liam Buckley took over as chef d’equipe from James Kernan who was unable to travel after testing positive for Covid-19. Buckley said: “This was a really great performance. The level at these Championships has been so high and it was a real fight for everyone to get a place on the podium. All of our riders were outstanding and you couldn’t pick out one over another.

“We are really thrilled. It was of course a real pity that team manager James Kernan could not travel here due to Covid but he was a huge support all week from back at home and we were in constant contact before and after every round.”

Thibeau Spits (Classic Touch), Emilie Conter (Balento CS), Maartje Verberckmoes (Guidam’s Willow the Second), Alexander Housen (Casillas van de Helle) and Thibeau Philippaerts (Khan vd Kattevennen Z) won the gold for Belgium. The bronze-medal-winning team was Jodie Hall McAteer (Kimosa), Lily Attwood (Karibou Horta), Siena Charles (Ornellaia), Jack Whitaker (Scenletha) and Robert Murphy (Highcross Violet).

Individuals

Germany’s Mathias Westendarp and Stalido went into the individual final in pole position and managed to hold on with a perfect clear round. Jack Whitaker, son of British jumping legend Michael Whitaker, also jumped a brilliant clear round to take the silver medal with the 11-year-old mare Scenletha who is owned by his father and Mayo’s Carl Hanley Sporthorses. He was previously ridden for a period by Mayo’s Michael G. Duffy.

Team gold medallist Emilie Conter from Stephex Stable in Belgium took the individual bronze medal. Jack Ryan finished best of the Irish individually in seventh place. On a tough final day, Ryan and BBC McGregor picked up five faults. Jason Foley also finished inside the top 10 in ninth place with catch ride Clyde VA, a 12-year-old Caretino 2 stallion who is owned by Breen Equestrian and normally ridden by Britain’s Georgia Tame.

Kayleigh Soden finished second in Sunday’s Youth Rider farewell competition with Charlie Soden’s 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Ard Leaderman (Luidam x Ard VDL Douglas) who was bred by Richard Wright and Heather Dean Wright.