THE Irish show jumping team have made it through to Sunday’s lucrative Longines FEI Nations Cup World Final, after a tense first competition at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona on Friday where many of the sports big-guns failed to make the cut.

Rodrigo Pessoa’s team of Billy Twomey, Anthony Condon, Shane Breen and Darragh Kenny finished sixth of the 15 teams, on a total of five faults, to make it into the top eight who now go forward to Sunday’s finale.

Germany, USA, Canada and Great Britain were just some of the top teams who failed to qualify and they must now turn their attention to Saturday’s Challenge Cup final.

Cork’s Billy Twomey was first to go for Ireland with the Kim Barzilay-owned nine-year-old Kimba Flamenco, and they finished with just four faults picked up on the troublesome last line.

Waterford’s Anthony Condon and the John Hales-owned SFS Aristio then produced an excellent clear jumping round, finishing with just a time fault. Tipperary’s Shane Breen was the discard score after coming home with 12 faults aboard Ipswich Van De Wolfsakker.

Offaly’s Darragh Kenny was last to go for Ireland and knew nothing less than a clear round would be good enough to see Ireland through. He delivered a superb clear with the Ann Thompson-owned Balou Du Reventon to book Ireland’s place in the final.

Irish team manager Rodrigo Pessoa said: “We wanted to be competitive and all our horses jumped really well. We are looking forward to Sunday’s final where everything is to play for with everyone starting on a zero score.”

The second round decider in the 2018 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final starts at 2pm Irish time on Sunday, with teams battling for a massive prize fund of €1.25 million and the coveted Nations Cup Final trophy.

Ireland will be joined by Austria, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, France and Switzerland.

The Irish Show Jumping team is sponsored by The Underwriting Exchange and Devenish

Equiline – Official athlete clothing supplier of Team Ireland Equestrian