IT was almost like a summer holiday at Sentower Park, Opglabbeek in Belgium for the first leg of the FEI jumping Nations Cup Youth Series as the weather gods shone gloriously down on those who travelled, forcing everyone to root out long-forgotten sunglasses and sunscreen.
Despite having the greatest distance and two bodies of water to cross, the Irish fielded the third highest number of riders with 42 athletes and 72 horses and ponies, surpassed only by the host country and their neighbours France.
It was the first event under the recently appointed new management team of Denis Flannelly and Liz Brennan, who have taken over the roles of chef d’equipe and youth athlete liaison, respectively. The duo hit the ground running, getting to know all of the riders and their animals, ensuring that they saw every single Irish athlete compete at the show over the course of five action-packed days of jumping.
Denis is well-known for training multiple medal-winning youths over the years. The likes of Mikey Pender, Susan Fitzpatrick and Niamh McEvoy, who have excelled in the senior ranks, all benefitted from Denis’ passion for the sport over the years. This passion was in evidence in Sentower as he shared his knowledge with riders, parents and trainers, also offering training early in the morning and late in the evening after jumping, and all of this was topped off by generous sprinklings of encouragement along the way.
Liz, meanwhile, is no stranger to high performance youth show jumping, having sat on both the pony and young rider high performance committees, where she implemented the programme for podium finishes, so it seems that the youth programme is in safe hands.
Action kicked off on Wednesday in the Oakland Arena, where Irish course builder Colm Quinn did a superb job challenging riders and equines all week. The Irish picked up placings in all of the first three classes with Jack Dore on Iron Rock du Ham, Alice Moloney on Ralph van de Achterhoek and Coen Williams on Royal Red van het Lindehhof all taking top six finishes in their respective classes.
The Irish Junior team of Kian Dore, Jack Kent, Lauren Adams, Emily Moloney and Isabel O’Brien, pictured with new management team, Denis Flannelly and Liz Brennan after claiming silver at the Nations Cup at Sentower Park \ Seale Transport Show Team
Impressive debut
Johan Fitzpatrick-Burns made an impressive international debut with Kinamara Dun Boy on Thursday, coming second in the CSIP 1.20m, while Sam Widger went one better with Little Smithe, taking the win in the CSIOP 1.25m. In the Stephex Arena, Abby Morton and Blueoak Legaland took the win in the CSIU25YJ 1.35m from a field of over 50 starters and Juliette McIntosh and Orchid’s Sevalia came fifth in the CSIOP 1.10m.
Thursday also saw the first of the Nations Cups decided, starting with the COH category. Ireland fielded an inexperienced team, all of whom were making their Nations Cup debuts. Lucia Keane on Elia, Elsie Tunney on Flexible Flight, Millie Jeffers on Beechfields Billy Barnwell and Jack Dore on Hermies vh Bergerhof Z finished a creditable fourth, with Jack Dore jumping an impressive double clear on his lovely little grey mare Hermies.
In the Young Rider CSIOY 1.45m category, a more experienced team of Max Foley with HHS Catwalk, Marta Hughes-Bravo with HHS Figero, Charlotte Coffey with That’s Mie Z and Coen Williams with Philly Fogarty had to overcome a difficult first round to pick up a bronze medal. At 19 years young, the remarkably fresh HHS Figero, described as the ‘horse that never stops giving’, by Marta afterwards, jumped one of just three double clears in the class, helping to secure the medal.
On Friday, Emily Moloney and Cruising On The Ridge won the first class of the day in the Stephex Arena when coming out on top of the CSIOJ 1.30m.
Pony win
The Irish were on the podium once again in the CSIOP 1.30m Nations Cup, though this time a couple of steps higher, as the pony team took the win. Lily Tunney on Correlli Clover, Sam Widger on Western Ranger, Cian McMunn on Kandide Van Seven Oaks and Charlie Flynn with HK Zena put in a gutsy performance to hold off the Dutch by a margin of just two penalties, helped along by Sam Widger’s double clear, one of just four in the class.
The Juniors were the last of the teams to compete in the CSIOJ 1.40m. A score of four faults after two rounds of jumping left Ireland level with a very strong host team from Belgium, forcing a jump-off. Kian Dore with Helssinki, Jack Kent with Castlefield Kingston, Lauren Adams with Caddie Z and Emily Moloney with Temple Alice, with Isabel O’Brien as reserve, had to battle hard in a remarkable jump-off, where all eight riders rode competitive rounds and all eight went clear.
However, the home team held on for the win with a combined margin of just 3.75 seconds, forcing the Irish to settle for silver and giving the team of Denis and Liz the full colour compliment of medals at their first show in their new roles.
On Saturday, Abby Morton continued her good run of form taking fifth in the CSIU25 1.40m Grand Prix. In the Stephex Arena, Charlie Flynn and Sam Widger took fourth and fifth respectively in the CSIOP 1.30m, while Caitlin Kelly picked up fifth in the CSIOP 1.15m and Jack Dore came second in the 1.05m.
Grand Prix success
Fresh out of 128 ponies and competing at her first international show, Lucia Keane took a superb win with her new pony Clounamon Coco in the CSIP 1.25m Grand Prix on Sunday in a class that produced just five first-round clears. Alex Owens and Hks Salome finished in sixth.
With just one Irish rider into the jump-off in a Junior Grand Prix, where many fell foul of the tight time allowed, Lauren Adams and Caddie Z kept a clean sheet to finish sixth from almost 80 starters.
The final class of the day in the Oakland Arena saw the talented combination of Charlie Flynn and HK Zena pick up second place.
Meanwhile in the Stephex Arena there were top six finishes for Emily Moloney, Caitlin Kelly, Juliette McIntosh, Josephine Nell and Jack Dore.
Reflecting afterwards, Liz Brennan said she felt the standard was very high this year: “I am looking forward to the year ahead with the athletes we have seen and those that have yet to come forward. It is an exciting year ahead for everyone involved in high performance.”
Denis Flannelly, meanwhile, was delighted with his new role: “It is an honour and a privilege to be appointed by HSI to act as lead consultant, chef d’equipe, jumping manager and director of technical and strategic programmes. The team in HSI have been extremely obliging, helpful and supportive, and it is wonderful to have Liz Brennan by my side with her years of experience.
“I was extremely proud of all athletes who competed and there were definitely some standout performances, especially making it to the podium with the ponies, juniors and young riders. The atmosphere with athletes, families and coaches was quite special to be a part of.”