IRISH Pony riders completed a memorable weekend at the French international show in Fontainebleau with a stunning win for Westmeath’s Kate Derwin in Sunday’s feature 1.30m Grand Prix, while Cork’s Lucy Shanahan took third place on the podium.

Four Irish riders managed to jump clear in the opening round to take their place in a 10-pony jump-off. Fifteen-year-old Kate Derwin guided the Clive Swindell-owned nine-year-old Connemara pony Cul Ban Mistress, to a blistering clear round in 39.51 to take the winner’s trophy.

French rider Camille Favrot was two seconds slower with Uhelem De Seille to finish as runner-up.

Lucy Shanahan and Cinderella Girl (ISH) had taken the early lead for Ireland in the jump-off, with a clear round in 45.40, and would hold on to take third place on the podium. Roscommon’s Cora Sharkey with Whos Arco (ISH) finished fifth, while Co Down’s Ruairi Clarke and Knockroe Little Mike (ISH) took seventh place.

Speaking after her superb win, a delighted Kate Derwin said: “I was here in France last year and watched the Grand Prix and saw the pony that won it and I really wanted to come back this year. I walked the course and watched a few ponies jump and saw what I had to do. The course rode really well in in the first round and the jump-off. To win the Grand Prix is just thrilling.”

Earlier in the day Cora Sharkey guided Midnight Sky to the runner-up position in the 1.25m Prix Free Jump, with Lucy Shanahan and Caliber-De in fourth. Chloe Fagan and Petrus Spartacus then took third place in the 1.25m CSIP Grand Prix. Fagan had taken the win in Saturday’s 1.25m Prix Free Jump, while Isabel Fitzpatrick and Tuamotu D’Alfa back in fifth.

Co Mayo’s Ciaran Nallon secured a win of his own in Saturday morning’s 1.25m speed class aboard Lislan Picola (ISH) and Cora Sharkey was third, again with Midnight Sky. Lucy Shanahan and Cinderella Girl (ISH) kept Ireland’s winning run going, scoring a victory in the CWD 1.30m.

NATIONS CUP

Irish pony chef d’equipe Gary Marshall saw his team take third place on the podium in the Fontainebleau Nations Cup on Saturday.

The team of Ciaran Nallon (Florian), Ruairi Clarke (Knockroe Little Mike (ISH)), Cora Sharkey (Whos Arco) and Kate Derwin (Cul Ban Mistress (CP)) were in third place on four faults at the halfway stage after clear rounds from Derwin and Clarke, along with a four fault score from Cora Sharkey.

The second round saw Ireland add eight-fault scores from Nallon and Clarke, while Kate Derwin finished with a single rail down second time out with Cul Ban Mistress.

The home team from France took the winners’ trophy on a zero score ahead of The Netherlands in second on four faults, with Ireland third on 24 faults, ahead of Germany in fourth.

A superb weekend for Ireland was completed when Kate Derwin was awarded leading girl rider of the show, while Ciaran Nallon completed an Irish whitewash of the final day prizes as he was awarded leading boy rider at the French venue.