BELGIUM won the junior team and children’s individual titles, Germany clinched young riders and children’s individual gold, Spain took the children’s team title, and Ireland were crowned young riders team champions at the FEI European Jumping Championships for Children, Juniors and Young Riders 2016 at Millstreet.

The Spanish enjoyed a clear-cut victory in the children’s team event. A total of 17 nations fielded teams, and when Theo Chiulia Leduc (Petit Chateau), Iraia Elordui Alvarez (Filia Yar) and Pilar Mateos de Urbina (Casion) were fault-free over the two rounds of the Nations Cup, then Jacobo Ussia de Garay’s (Queen Blanchelande) single time penalty in the opening individual competition was all they had to count.

It came down to a two-way jump-off for silver and bronze between Germany and Italy when they were tied on four faults. Germany took silver and Italy bronze.

In the individual children’s championship, it came down to a five-way decider between Germany’s Schmidt, Menke and Remming Ripke (Giiunco della Loggia) and Chulia Leduc from Spain along with Italy’s Milla Lou Jany Polizzi. In another thrilling jump-off Chulia Leduc was the only one to leave a fence on the floor and Menke finished just outside a podium placing when time was the deciding factor. Schmidt and Sir Douglas reigned supreme when breaking the beam in 31.89 seconds.

Italy’s Polizzi (Qara Mai) took the silver in 33.05 and Germany’s Remming Ripke claimed the bronze in 33.74.

JUNIORS

The junior team medals came down to a three-way jump-off between Belgium, Italy and Britain. All three sides finished the first two rounds on an eight-fault scoreline, and the Belgians and Italians added eight more in the race against the clock. The Belgian time of 101.71 seconds clinched it.

Giacomo Casadei (My Forever), Tommaso Gerardi (Venusz), Francesco Correddu (Necofix) and Guido Franchi (Windrose) posted their eight faults in 105.85 for the silver. But three of the British side - Leonie Aitkenhead (Clane K), Emily Ward (Remi Cavalleri) and Harry Charles (Controe) - picked up eight faults, and two of those had to be counted when Harry’s sister, Scarlett Charles, produced a clear with Sacree du Rouet.

And the Belgians had plenty more to be pleased about when taking junior individual gold and bronze.

Young Riders

The Irish made it to the top step of the podium in the Young Riders Championship when Michael G. Duffy (Felix), Matt Garrigan (Contino), Max O’Reilly-Hyland (Ahmed du Calvaire) and Gavin Harley (Understone van de Kapel) completed on a five-fault scoreline.

A total of 10 nations competed, and the Dutch took silver ahead of Switzerland in bronze medal position.

The hosts made a great start with three clear rounds over Gerard Lachat’s first-round course, Harley’s seven-fault effort the discard this time out, but they were sharing the lead with Belgium’s Chloe Vranken (Tahisdu Masure), Lynn D’Have (Caellum Terwilgen), Leonie Peeters (Catho) and Boy-Adrian Van Gelderen (Be Cool) at the halfway stage. However the Belgians disappeared from the reckoning with 26 faults second time out and when the Dutch side of Senne Thijssen (Con Quidam RB) Jens Van Grunsven (Oka), Lisa Nooren (VDL Groep Sabech D’Ha) and Kevin Jochems (Flugel van T Palmenhof) added just two time faults to their first-round tally of eight, then that was plenty good enough for silver spot.

It was Harley who saved the Irish day with his anchor clear round when Duffy, team bronze medallist a year ago, picked up just a single time fault, Garrigan collected four and then O’Reilly-Hyland collected eight at his second attempt.

The Swiss side of Bryan Balsiger (Nohjy), Vladya Revedin (Edison), Pauline Zoller (Barbarella) and Rona Meier (F Olympic MH) improved dramatically from their first-round 12-fault effort to add just one time fault for a total of 13 to take the bronze.

Irish chef d’equipe Comdt John Ledingham admitted the win was “really emotional.”

INDIVIDUAL FINAL

There were 19 into the individual final and it was 20-year-old German Guido Klatte who claimed the title when finishing on the 0.12 points he picked up in the first qualifier.

The Netherlands’ Lisa Nooren secured her second silver medal when her eight-fault first-round effort in the team competition was added to just 0.38 points from the first qualifier for a total of 8.38. And Vladja Reverdin claimed her second bronze medal when finishing with 9.32 points on the final leaderboard.

Ireland’s Gavin Harley finished fifth in the individual young rider final with Understone Van De Kapel, while Michael G. Duffy and Felix finished ninth. Harley and Duffy were part of the Irish quartet who won the European Team Gold Medal on Friday along with Matt Garrigan and Max O’Reilly Hyland.(See A52)