GARY Marshall’s under 16 pony team finished runners-up in last Thursday’s Nations Cup at the Dutch Youngster Festival in Wierden, The Netherlands.

Of the eight teams that started, Ireland and Britain were in a league of their own, with Britain taking victory on zero faults, ahead of the Irish team with four faults in second place. The Netherlands and Germany finished joint third with 16 faults.

Ireland were joint leaders after the first round on zero faults. Niamh McEvoy was first to go for Ireland with Claire Crawford’s 12-year-old Connemara Pony Ardfry Skye (by Cashelbay Prince), and the combination produced a brilliant double clear round.

John McEntee rode Terry Johnston’s 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare My Gypsy Rose to a clear first round and the combination picked up four faults second time out.

Max Wachman and his European silver medal-winning mare Cuffesgrange Cavalidam (ISH), owned by Coolmore Showjumping, were third to go and also jumped two foot perfect clears to match McEvoy’s double clear.

Max’s younger brother Tom was last to go for Ireland with Ocean Des As. After a brilliant first round clear, he could have forced a jump-off with Britain, but faulted twice in the second round.

Max Wachman was fifth in Friday’s 1.40m Junior Grand Prix with Atlantic Du Seigneur. The combination were one of seven clears in the first round before picking up five faults against the clock. Victory went to The Netherlands’ Ferdinand B with Elize van de Mheen (0/0 40.45).

Ryan Sweetnam placed fourth in a competitive Pony Grand Prix. Riding Barra Sweetnam’s Perseus Spartacus, Sweetnam was among eight double clear rounds in a time of 32.52 seconds.

Earlier in the day, Sweetnam won the small tour 1.25m final aboard Patrick Finn’s Kilcummin Cruise with a double clear in 25.23 seconds. That pair also won Wednesday’s opening international class, ahead of Orla Duffy.

Duffy double

There were four Irish riders in the top 10 of Friday’s 1.25m. Victory went to Orla Duffy with Sandra Duffy’s Vales Blue Song, ahead of John McEntee in third place with Dermott Lennon’s Brooklyn Du Granit. Tom Wachman (Aughnashammer) and Niamh McEvoy (Toscane Davnir) finished eight and ninth.

Duffy also won Thursday’s 1.30m class aboard Anita Duffy’s Atlanta, producing a clear round in 66.51 seconds. Her time was three seconds faster than Britain’s Red Morgan.