A GALLANT performance saw the Irish team finish third in La Baule yesterday earning 80 points in Ireland’s first points-scoring FEI Division 1 Nations Cup outing at the top French venue.

Ireland’s new show jumping chef d’equipe Rodrigo Pessoa sent out Tipperary’s Denis Lynch (All Star 5), Tipperary’s Shane Breen (Golden Hawk), Galway’s Michael Duffy (Belcanto Z) and Cork’s Shane Sweetnam (Chaqui Z) against seven teams including France, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Spain.

Afterwards, Rodrigo Pessoa commented: “The guys jumped very good, we did have some silly mistakes. Shane Breen jumped two excellent rounds and young Michael Duffy was unlucky just to have the water in the second round.

“Denis and All Star had the same fault in both rounds but they have not jumped much together since their break after the World Cup. Shane Sweetnam’s horse jumped well. We put up a good fight to take third. I am getting to know the people and the horses better and it’s on now to the next round in Rome.”

Tipperary’s Shane Breen who jumped double clear with Prince Sultan’s & Breen Equestrian’s Golden Hawk said: “I’m delighted with how Golden Hawk jumped. This has been a lucky ground for me, I have jumped a couple of double clears here in the past. This was my first appearance with Rodrigo as team manager and he was very relaxed, focused and the advice and little pointers he gave were very accurate. All the guys on the team today jumped great and the future looks bright.”

Germany went into yesterday’s competition looking to consolidate their early lead at the top of the series while the strong French side of Roger Yves Bost (Sangria du Coty), Kevin Staut (Reveur de Hurtebrise HDC), Penelope Leprevost (Flora de Mariposa) and Cedric Angot (Saco de la Cour), were going all out for a win before their home crowd.

And to the delight of the crowd, the French team prevailed, winning on a team total of eight faults, clinching an exciting jump-off against Sweden, going clear in 35.75 seconds while the Swedes, who led on an impressive team total of zero faults after round one, had to be content with second, racking up eight jump-off faults in 38.02.

ROUND ONE

Drawn second to jump after Switzerland, first into the ring for Ireland was Tipperary’s Lynch and All Star 5 who returned with five faults on the board over the 1.60m five-star track.

Ireland’s second rider in, Shane Breen and Golden Hawk posted a super clear, just the third clear of the competition at that point.

Breen’s clear set the stage for his team mate young Michael Duffy (20), riding Belcanto Z, who jumped a brilliant clear with just a single unfortunate time fault on the board.

Irish hopes were high as top international rider Shane Sweetnam and Chaqui Z, last to go for Ireland in round one, looked to be home clear until the last fence fell leaving him to finish with a time fault for five faults.

At the end of round one, the Irish team, sponsored by Devenish and The Underwriting Exchange, were in fifth place on a team total of six faults, the time allowed proved an issue for the Irish riders, with three of the four, incurring a single time fault.

The Swedish team of Peder Fredricson (H&M Christian K), Malin Bayard-Johnsson (H&M Cue Channa 42), Angelie Von Essen (Newton Abbot) and Henrik Von Eckermann (Copperhild) led on an incredible team total of zero faults, with Belgium in second place on two faults, chased by France on a team total of four and the Swiss team on five faults. Germany lay in sixth place on nine faults with The Netherlands on 14 faults for seventh and bringing up the rear was the Spanish team, in eighth place, on 21 faults.

ROUND TWO

With just six faults separating the top five nations at the mid-way point, it was all to play for in round two.

Lynch and All Star came out looking for a vital clear but again had an unfortunate pole down for four faults. However, Irish hopes were lifted when, yet again, Shane Breen and Golden Hawk executed a cool, polished round to post that crucial double clear.

Michael Duffy and Belcanto were very unfortunate to have just a toe in the water to end what was otherwise another fantastic round on four faults.

There was disappointment for Shane Sweetnam and Chaqui who finished round two on five faults, after the first part of the triple combination fell and they incurred a time fault.

In the final shake-up, it went down to the wire between France and Sweden with Ireland securing third place on a team total of 14 faults, with Switzerland in fourth on 18 and Belgium just behind on 19. Spain finished sixth on 22 faults while Germany’s hopes were dashed with 29 faults for seventh and The Netherlands brought up the rear on 31 faults for eighth place.