A GALLANT performance saw a brave Irish team enjoy a podium finish when placing third in an ultra-competitive Nations Cup competition at Wellington, Florida, USA, last Friday night.

The victors were the Americans to the delight of the home crowd while the Canadians took second.

Robert Splaine’s team of Darragh Kenny, Shane Sweetman, Cian O’Connor and Kevin Babington, were third in the Nations Cup after coming up equal fifth at the end of round one.

Fifth to jump of nine nations, an uncharacteristic four faults from Kenny and Hyperion Stud LLC’s Imothep in Ireland’s opening round failed to match first round clears from the home team’s Todd Minikus and Canada’s Tiffany Foster, and when Cork’s Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Chaqui Z collected eight faults, Irish confidence wavered.

Co Meath’s Cian O’Connor then posted four faults with Adena Springs’s Quidam’s Cherie, while anchorman Tipperary’s Kevin Babington and LLC’s Shorapur also collected four penalties.

Lying equal fifth at the break on 12 faults, the Irish team fought back with two classic clear rounds from Sweetnam and O’Connor, leaving a final total of 16 penalty points after Kenny had the drop score of eight faults and Babington again collected four. This was enough to slot into third place behind winners USA and runners-up Canada. Ireland has now had one Nations Cup win and one Nations Cup third place in the USA this month, having taken victory earlier in February at Ocala.

Neither competition, however, was part of the 2015 top Furusiyya League, so Ireland did not collect league points.

Team manager Robert Splaine attended both shows to assess the capabilities of US-based riders and horses that may form part of Ireland’s European squads for the important Furusiyya contests later this year.

WEARING THE GREEN

Under the guidance of chef d’equipe Comdt. John Ledingham, Irish junior and young riders shone in Wellington with gutsy performances netting silver and bronze medals.

The junior team of Conor McMahon, Philip Carey, Matt Garrigan and Cormac Hanley claimed the silver medal in the Junior Nations’ Cup, finishing on 13 faults behind an in-form USA team, who maintained a zero score to take the gold medal. The bronze went to Brazil on 16 faults.

Concluding the Nations Cup competition this year, the $10,000 Hollow Creek Farm Young Rider Nations Cup saw a win for Team USA for the third year in a row led by Chef d’Equipe DiAnn Langer. The team, made up of Shawn Casady and Cavallo Farms LLC’s Twister, Spencer Smith and Wyndmont’s IV Ever, Chloe Reid and Chloe D Reid LLC’s Athena, and Michael Hughes aboard Christina Fried’s Luxina, had a perfect score in round one and finished on just four faults in round two to win overall.

Ireland also took the bronze medal in the Young Rider Nations’ Cup, with Tom Foley (Petrushka III), Jenny Rankin (Eddi Maserati), Oliver McCarthy (Crossfire 10) and Cormac Hanley (Navy Blue Tarroy) coming home on 28 faults behind silver medallists Brazil on 24.

In last Sunday’s Young Rider Grand Prix at the Florida venue, Ireland’s Jenny Rankin took second place with a double clear round on Richard Bourns’ Eddie Maserati, just over a second behind the USA’s Spencer Smith and IV Ever.

In fifth was Cormac Hanley on Kevin Babington’s Navy Blue Tarroy while Oliver McCarthy was ninth on McLain Ward’s Crossfire 10.

In the $2,500 Hollow Creek Farm Junior Grand Prix, Ireland’s Philip Carey was fifth on Darragh Kenny’s Domino Van De Hermitage while Matt Garrigan was 11th on Martin Garrigan’s Quentucky Jolly Matt.