IRELAND’s under-age riders performed well under pressure in Hagen, Germany this week, finishing second and third in Nations Cup competitions.

The Irish team of Jack Ryan (Cavalier Teaca (ISH), Harry Allen (Wild Thing L), Isabel Fitzpatrick (Ulster) and Ciaran Nallon (Ciao Bella) finished second in the children on horses Nations Cup in Hagen after a dramatic jump-off with the German and British teams.

The Irish lay in equal first of three teams from a starting list of 11 nations after two rounds of jumping on a zero score. In the exciting jump-off the team narrowly missed catching the Germans on time, with just an aggregate of six seconds separating them. The British team was just over three seconds behind Ireland.

REMARKABLE PERFORMANCE

In a remarkable jumping performance, all three teams maintained a zero jumping score after three tough rounds of jumping and places were finally decided on times.

Irish chef d’equipe John Ledingham then turned his attention to the Irish junior team of Phillip Carey (Belle Rock (ISH)), Anna Carway (Ajaccio), Lucinda Roche (WCE Falco (ISH)) and Cormac Hanley (Caracter).

The quartet took on 10 other countries in the junior Nations Cup and finished in third place on a team total of 14 faults.

The competition was won by the French team on a team total of five faults.

Not to be outdone, the Irish pony team finished equal second of three teams in the pony Nations Cup at the German venue.

Olivia Roulston (Ballygawleys Little Ferro (ISH)), Abbie Sweetnam (Spartacus Reape), Luke Garrigan (Dr Spot) and Hannah O’Shea (More Clover (ISH)) finished on a team total of eight faults, behind the winning British team which maintained a clean sheet throughout the competition.