HORSE Sport Ireland (HSI) Youth Jumping High Performance Manager, Denis Flannelly, has shared his pride in the teams who represented Ireland at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth final at Kronenberg in the Netherlands last weekend (report on page 83). He said the results reflected not only the talent of the young athletes, but also the strength of the wider HSI youth programme.

“It’s been an outstanding week for Irish youth jumping. Firstly, to have all four Irish teams qualify was a historic achievement, something I was extremely proud of as only the best teams in the world qualify for the final. To finish on the podium across the four categories is a fantastic achievement, and everyone involved should be incredibly proud of their success.

“The Pony team were exceptional in the Final. They had been building throughout the week and, when it mattered most, they produced a superb performance to finish on a zero score and take gold. But equally, to see our Junior and Young Rider teams both make the podium, and our Children finish third in the Challenge Cup, shows the depth we have across the entire programme.

“These Finals are incredibly competitive, as only the top 12 teams in each category qualify to jump. There is a huge amount of pressure on the riders. Unlike the European Championships, there is no individual category, so this is all about team jumping. They have to ride for their teammates, and I was very impressed with how they supported each other and handled that pressure.

“There is a huge team behind these results - the riders, horses, owners, parents, grooms, coaches and support staff - and everyone deserves recognition. HSI has built a programme which puts a strong emphasis on team spirit, education and development, and we are continually looking at how we can improve.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Liz Brennan, who assists me in running the programme. I’d also like to thank the selection panel, my co-selector Denis Lynch, and Sally Ann Tobin, chairperson of the panel. I’d also like to thank the team at HSI, whose support has been tremendous since my appointment. It’s been an incredible two years.”