Ireland’s young pony riders Michael Pender, Sean Monaghan, Hannah O’Shea and Jessica Kuehnle secured a bronze medal at the Pony Nations’ Cup at Fontainebleau last weekend against fierce competition from the Netherlands, France and Britain.

Their podium finish was just one of a number of reasons for the Irish to celebrate, with 12-year-old Cora Sharkey winning the CSIP Grand Prix and individual wins for Michael Pender, Roisin Fagan, Olivia Roulston and Abigail McGeoghan-Santry.

Riding a quartet of relatively inexperienced ponies at this level, Ireland’s Nations Cup team recorded a first round total of four faults.

Jessica Kuehnle and Gold Digger Douglas and Michael Pender on Doon Laddie both lodging clear opening rounds for the Irish national team.

However the competition was fierce, with the Netherlands on a zero team score and France on just a single team fault. Ireland could not improve on their position in the second round, with just one clear round from Sean Monaghan and Attyrory Rebel, and so they completed the competition on a total of 12 faults.

The Netherlands maintained their top form and took gold on a team zero score, while France claimed silver on a total of five faults.

Horse Sport Ireland’s pony high performance team manager Tom Slattery said he was delighted with the result, given that the Irish ponies were all new to Nations Cup competition.

“There were quite a few strong teams, including the Dutch, France and the Germans who still have the majority of the team ponies from last year,” he remarked. “We have some really nice riders this year, with several wins at the show.”

Michael Pender and Dress to Thrill won the CSIOP 1.25m speed class at Fontainebleau, while Roisin Fagan and Lynncot Fancy Pants (ISH) won the six-year-old Grand Prix.

Olivia Roulston and Ballygawleys Little Ferro (ISH) won the 1.15m CSIP two-phase class and Abigail McGeoghan-Santry and Garryndruig Churchill (ISH) won a seven-year-old class.

Cormac Foley was awarded the CSIP leading rider award, while Michael Pender secured the leading CSIOP rider accolade.

On Sunday, 12-year-old Cora Sharkey from Castlerea in Co Roscommon with Berta’s Clover (ISH) won the CSIP Grand Prix.

One of the youngest riders at the show, Sharkey was cool under pressure and produced the only double clear from the 50-strong starting field.

“We didn’t expect much as she had not been fast enough in a number of other earlier classes,” admitted Sharkey’s father Joe.

“But Cora’s a very middling loser and she is always confident that she can win. She took one inside turn that made all the difference and had the only double clear.”

Ireland’s pony riders will now focus on two trials for the European team which will take place at Ard Chuain and Barnadown in May, trying to secure a place on the squad to travel to Haagen, Germany in mid-June.

The final selection for the European team for the 2014 championships at Millstreet will happen in late June.