EUROPEAN

CHAMPIONSHIPS

FROM here on all eyes were firmly focused on the European championships and the impending announcement of Sally Corscadden’s squad. At the start of her tenure, Corscadden appeared spoilt for choice, but such is the nature of the sport the numbers dwindled on the run up to selection. Having lost the favourite Cooley Rorkes Drift due to a successful but time-consuming ownership tussle, and others due to injury, Corscadden’s final squad was named as Sarah Ennis (Horseware Stellor Rebound), Joseph Murphy (Sportsfield Othello), Austin O’Connor (Kilpatrick Knight) and Michael Ryan (Dunlough Striker).

The quartet was hampered by the fall of Austin O’Connor and refusals from Murphy and Ryan, but they were not alone as other leading riders similarly plummeted out of the reckoning.

In the end, Co Meath’s Sarah Ennis flew the flag in brilliant style when she completed in seventh spot individually, while Britain took home the gold medal, from Germany and Sweden.

Some weeks later it was announced that the German team horse Samurai du Thot had tested positive in a routine drug test, and as a result, Italy was promoted into the bronze medal position, while Ireland’s combined efforts delivered a creditable fourth placing from the 13 teams.

The individual gold medal went to Ingrid Klimke riding Horseware Hale Bob, who narrowly pipped odds-on favourite Michael Jung (Fischerrocana FST), and Nicola Wilson with Bulana.

Saving the day, the pony riders made the long journey to their combined championships Kaposvar in Hungary and jubilantly returned with a team bronze medal. Zara Nelson (Millbridge Buachaill Bui) recorded the best individual placing (9th).