IT was gold all the way for the unbeatable French in the FEI Pony European Championships at Strzegom in Poland, capturing the top podium spots in show jumping and eventing.
The individual and team gold medals in eventing went to France. Germany took silver, and Becky Cullen’s Irish team finished with the bronze.
There was more success for Ireland when 14-year-old Ben Connors, at his first championships, delivered a stunning performance to finish on his dressage score and win the individual silver medal with the eight-year-old Connemara Pony Cornafest Fred.
It was an incredibly emotional weekend for the Irish team as they honoured their fellow team member Tiggy Hancock who tragically died following a fall from her pony when preparing for the Championships.
Holding place
The Irish team of Connors, Caoimhe Crozier (Kildromin Banjo), Sarah Keane (Lon McLiomhtha) and Ted O’Leary (Rockon Pedro), as well as squad members Rachel Lucey (Woodfield Clover Joker) and Grace Murtagh (Bruckless Elmar) all got off to a good start and Ireland were in third position after the dressage phase on a combined score of 88.2.
A fantastic performance from all three squad members across the country strengthened Ireland’s grip on a medal. Connors was the standout, powering home inside the time to add nothing to his dressage score of 30.3 and rise from 11th to silver medal position.
Crozier (10.4) and Keane (9.6) both picked up a few time faults, while O’Leary was unlucky to finish the course with 20 penalties and 10.4 for time.
Ireland were in the bronze medal heading into the final phase on a score of 116.3 and had a huge margin 26.3 penalties margin over the Belgium team in fourth and were just over 15 penalties off the silver.
O’Leary bounced back to produce a brilliant clear round over the show jumping poles, one of just nine in the final phase. Crozier picked up four faults, while Keane finished with 12, but when Connors kept his composure to deliver the team’s second clear rounds, the bronze medal was safely secured on a total score of 132.3.
The French team won gold on a team total of 104.4, ahead of Germany in silver on 114 penalties. The French squad was represented by Zoe Ballot, Valentin Quittet Eslan, Mathieu Cuomo, and the individual gold medal winner – Mae Rinaldi riding Boston Du Verdon.
Individual competition
Rinaldi took the lead with a dressage score of 23.2 and kept it through the cross-country despite adding 5.2 time faults. A clear show jumping round saw her take gold on a final score of 28.4.
Connors was just behind on 30.3, one of just three competitiors to finish on their dressage score, including the bronze medal winner Sophie Weening of The Netherlands with Hip Hop.
Caoimhe Crozier also finished inside the top 10, taking ninth place, while Rachel Lucey finished 12th. All of the Irish competitors finished inside the top 30 including Grace Murtagh in 22nd, Sarah Keane in 27th and Ted O’Leary in 28th.
Family affair
Connors’ eight-year-old Connemara Pony Cornafest Fred is owned by his parents Michelle Nelsen and Kieran Connors. By Gwennic de Goariva, he was bred by Thomas Grimes out of the Westside Mirah mare Corrnafest Nora, and has been produced by Connors since July 2020.
Amazingly, all four of the Nelson/Connors siblings now have European medals to their names. Ben was following in the footsteps of his sisters Shannon Nelson, Zara Nelson and Alex Connors.
Ben said it feels “amazing” to have two European medals to his name. Speaking about how the competition went, he said: “That was his personal best for this test in the dressage. Not a lot of people thought he would get inside the time across the country but just going out he gave me that feelings he was up for it, that is the best feeling.
“In show jumping, he just jumped his heart out, he was amazing and that was the best feeling crossing the line.” He added the eight-year-old is “one of the most laidback ponies you will ever meet when you are on him.”
Ben was motivated by his sisters. “It all started back with my mum. Then Shannon went to Arezzo in 2013 and grabbed a team bronze; Zara went to Malmo when she was my age and got an individual bronze, and then got a team bronze in 2017, and Alex won team bronze in Strezgom in 2019. So it was always in the family and that motivated me to keep going.
“I want to thank my dressage coach Mark, jumping coach Tom, the team coach Heather and Becky Cullen for having faith in me and picking me on the team. My parents, for getting up at stupid hours in the morning to bring me places, and especially my granny Wendy for doing that when I was younger. And also to Edie Murray-Hayden for letting me buy her amazing pony!”