THE ups and downs of horse sports were evident throughout the FEI European eventing championships for Young Riders at Millstreet last week and it wasn’t just the Irish who suffered.

On home soil, hopes were high of a medal of some colour over the two sections of Junior and Young Riders and the younger brigade had the frustration of finishing fourth. So too, as an individual, did Cathal Daniels who has been one of the mainstays of the underage teams over recent years and whose last appearance at a Young Riders championship this was.

Riding Margaret Kinsella’s eight-year-old Imperial Hights gelding Sammy Davis Junior, the Kildare-based Galway native was lying 19th after dressage (44.60) with Irish hopes at this stage centred on Susie Berry who, second last to ride her test on Friday afternoon, was in fourth with Morswood (38.40).

The medal positions were filled by Britain’s Sam Ecroyd on the Irish Sport Horse gelding Tullaher Sunrise (35.70), Germany’s Hanna Knüppel riding Carismo 22 (36) and French rider Victor Levecque on another ISH gelding RNH MC Ustinov (38.30). The team positions were in the reverse order of nationality with little between them.

With four water jumps on a proper two-star track, the cross-country phase was always going to have it effect on the result but whether course designer Mike Etherington-Smith thought it would prove so problematic is doubtful. In a piece he wrote for the programme, Etherington-Smith encouraged riders to save some gas for the second part of the track as he had included many alternatives in a bid to get more teams home.

As it turned out, the three-member Spanish team was reduced to two, while the other nine teams had just three members left in competition, although Sweden in fifth, Switzerland in sixth and Poland in ninth had started out with that number. Ireland lost Tessa Harley and Catsky even before they had a chance to pit themselves against the track as the horse was cut when jumping one of the practice fences and had to be withdrawn.

Problems were widespread across the country, from the fourth fence, the Sport Ireland two-part water, to the second last (24/25), the offset Barry’s Tea Gypsy Wagons where, having gone clear to that point, Ireland’s Shannon Nelson parted company with Commanchero.

Another Irish individual, Alice Copithorne, was also eliminated following the fall of Fort Arthur Going For Gold at the skinny part B of the Bucas Fort (14) and there was a rider fall for Robbie Kearns (Garrybritt Bonny) at the Wallis Water (17) on the way home.

One unseating in the water which had a big effect on the result was that of Britain’s Sam Ecroyd who was dislodged when Tullaher Sunrise ducked out at the water-cascade rail in the Connolly’s Red Mills Water (8B).

His was a soft landing however, unlike that experienced by Germany’s Jan Matthias when Granulin 2 turned over heavily at the skinny triple brush second element of the Renault Bird’s Nest (16), which was on a downhill run. Although the rider got back to his feet quickly, and the horse did so after a short delay, it was discovered that the German team rider had fractured his right collarbone.

Three horses later, Marie Charlotte Fuss of France was unseated when her horse, Sillas de La Nee, ducked out at this obstacle and there was a very long delay while both riders were attended to, Cathal Daniels being held up in the process.

Most unhappily for Belgium’s Nele Revyn, she suffered a broken leg, even though neither she nor her mount Caesar van Desta fell. They were headed towards the Bucas Fort when the horse took exception to going through the tunnel, where water was lying, and slammed the rider into the stonework causing the injury.

Later, Knüppel went out as leader on Carismo 22, and a good clear saw her complete on her dressage score (36) while, even though she picked up 2.8 time penalties, Berry moved into the silver medal spot with Morswood (41.2) ahead of Britain’s Alex Kennedy on the ISH gelding Lissangle Cavaletto B.

The Irish camp knew from early on Sunday morning that it was doubtful Morswood would get through the second horse inspection and, much to the disappointment of Berry and the Ricardo Z gelding’s owner, Susie Wood, the nine-year-old was not accepted by the ground jury.

QUIET SUNDAY

After an incident-packed Saturday, Sunday’s show jumping phase was a quiet affair although for those in the medal positions every pole counted. France was out of the equation at this stage with Germany having taken over in front ahead of The Netherlands and Britain. Less than half of the field managed to go clear but among them was Cathal Daniels who, having lain ninth overnight, climbed the leaderboard steadily on his dressage score (44.60) as those ahead of him knocked poles.

At the business end, The Netherlands’ Aliene Ruyter, who was lying third, had two down with Bomba to drop to fifth (45.40), leaving her teammate Janou Bleekman to claim bronze on Granntevka Prince (44). A clear from Kennedy and Lissangle Cavaletto B (41.30) assured them of silver and, although Knüppel used up the fence she had in hand with Carismo 22, they bagged individual gold when completing on 40 penalties. The team positions remained as they had been.

“I am delighted with this win,” said 20-year-old Knüppel, “as I have been on the team with this same horse since 2014. The cross-country was very difficult but I was lucky that I could see what the others had done so I could be fast but safe. We needed to go clear for the team as we had lost Jan.”

The German chef d’equipe, Hanna Rogge, who judged at the pony Europeans here in 2014, was also very pleased with the result.

“This was a very fair championships, the cross-country fences were very well presented and the Duggan family looked after us all so well. This win for our riders is all down to their new trainers.”