THE Irish show jumping team won a team silver medal at the 2023 FEI Jumping European Champions in Milan on Friday afternoon. Michael Blake’s team of Michael Duffy, Trevor Breen, Shane Sweetnam and Eoin McMahon delivered superb efforts over three rounds to finish behind the dominant team of Sweden who won their first ever team European gold.

Austria secured their first ever European team medal when collecting the bronze medal. With that medal came qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Spain (fifth) and Switzerland (sixth) took the two remaining Olympic qualifying places.

Ireland started the day in fourth place but less than a penalty separated the gold medal team and fourth-placed team. In the gold medal position overnight, Germany was reduced to three riders when Marcus Ehning could not start in after he felt his Aachen Grand Prix-winning stallion Stargold was not 100%.

The Swedish team of Henrik von Eckermann (Iliana), Wilma Hellström (Cicci BJN), Jens Fredricson (Markan Cosmopolit) and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (Zuccero) have now completed the triple crown of becoming Olympic, World and European champions all in the same period.

Sweden’s chef d’equipe Henrik Ankarcrona was emotional afterwards, commenting: “I am lost for words. I think it’s the first time ever Sweden holds this title. I am trying to bring on new combinations. We all knew if everyone performed at their best, we would have the possibility if a podium and to be here is just so fantastic.”

Winning his first senior medal and going into the individual final in bronze medal position, Galway’s Michael Duffy commented: “We are delighted to get a silver medal, the Swedes are very strong, and we did as much as we could to get our nose in front of the remaining pack, the Germans, the Swiss and the Austrians. It was great sport. My mare was jumping outstanding, and now we’ve just got to put our head down and try to have more of the same on Sunday.”

Michael Duffy and Cinca 3 are in bronze medal position individually heading into Sunday's final at the FEI Jumping European Championships \ Tomas Holcbecher

Rollercoaster

Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani designed a strong 1.60m track, with faults coming across the course and just 11 clear rounds, including Ireland’s Michael Duffy who is in the bronze medal position going into Sunday’s final.

Duffy was first to go for the team with Hibernian Sport Horses’ 14-year-old mare Cinca 3 (Casall x Carthago), one of just seven horses that had not touched a pole over the first two days of the competition and started the day in 10th place individually (2.18).

Once again, Duffy showed his class and composure, guiding the mare to a foot perfect clear round to get the team off to the perfect start and shot himself up the rankings individually.

Trevor Breen was disappointed with eight faults in Thursday’s team round with his mother-in-law Heather Black’s 11-year-old gelding Highland President (Clinton x Kannan). The pair jumped a super round in the final but were unlucky to knock the last part of the triple combination to finish with four faults.

Next was Shane Sweetnam with the Gizmo Partners LLC’s Irish Sport Horse gelding James Kann Cruz (Kannan x Cruising), bred by Patrick Connolly. The pair were unlucky to knock fence six, a tall vertical, when catching it behind. That meant Ireland had to count at least one of the two four fault rounds.

However, the Swiss team were also knocking poles and with an eight from Bryan Balsiger (Dubai du Bois Pinchet) and 12 from Edouard Schmitz (Gamin van’t Naastveldhof), Ireland moved up to the bronze medal position with Eoin McMahon still to jump.

Unravelling

Then it all unravelled for seven-time European champions Germany who were down to three riders. Philipp Weishaupt (Zineday) had a fence down before Jana Wargers (Limbridge) picked up eight faults and they dropped out of the medals. A clear from Jens Fredricson secured team gold for Sweden when, even with one rider left to jump, their score could not be beaten.

McMahon was relishing the anchor role with Ludger Beerbaum Stables’ 11-year-old mare Mila (Monte Bellini x Linton), the horse he took over the ride on after his boss, Beerbaum, retired from the sport earlier in the summer.

Their round was looking good until they turned the corner to the second last line and knocked the vertical at fence 10 to finish on four faults. That momentarily moved Ireland into the bronze medal position, but the standings were to change again when Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs had an uncharacteristic two fences down which confirmed team silver for the Irish on 18 penalties.

Last to go, Germany’s Gerrit Nieberg (Ben 431) needed to be clear if Germany were going to hold on to bronze, but he finished with 12 faults which promoted Austria. Their team of Gerfried Puck (Equitron Naxcel V), Katharina Rhomberg (Cuma 5), Max Kühner (Elektric Blue P) and Alessandra Reich (Oeli R) were making history for their country on a final score of 22.77.

Ireland last medal at a European Championships came in the form of gold in 2017 when Michael Blake was assistant chef d’equipe.

Individuals

Individually going forward to Sunday’s final, Jens Fredricson remains out in the lead on zero penalties. Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat is in the silver medal position with Dynamix de Belheme (0.43 pens), ahead of Duffy and Cinca 3 on 2.18.

Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz move forward to the final in 11th place (6.87), while Eoin McMahon and Mila are just behind in 14th (8.95). Just the top 25 go through to the final on Sunday which kicks off at 12pm local time (11am Irish time), after which, just the top 12 jump for medals at 14.05 (13.05 Irish time).