SWITZERLAND lived up to their favourites tag and clinched the Aga Khan trophy for the first time since 1983 and fifth time in the history of the competition. Michel Sorg fielded the same team that will travel to the FEI European Championships in two weeks’ time and they were utterly dominant to win on zero faults.

The victory added another 100 points to their final tally on the Europe Division 1 leaderboard to see them top the table. According to data analytic company EquiRatings, the Swiss came into the competition with a 25% win chance, shading the home nation Ireland as favourites and that is exactly how it played out with Ireland’s team of Michael Duffy, Mikey Pender, Cian O’Connor and Shane Sweetnam taking second place.

It was class all the way from Steve Guerdat (Vernard de Cerisy), Bryan Balsiger (Chelsea Z), Martin Fuchs (Leone Jei) and Edouard Schmitz (Gamin vavn’t Naastveldhof) who enjoyed their trip to Dublin, posting six clears between them.

On a breezy but sunny day at the Ballsbridge arena, the Irish fans packed into the RDS to see some of the world’s best riders line out for the most exciting show jumping competition on these shores. Alan Wade designed a big and technical 12-fence track with 15 jumping obstacles. The 74-second time allowed did not cause any hassle.

The bogey fences on course were evident nearly straight away. The tricky distance from the triple bar at fence three to the Longines vertical saw it fall multiple times; both the second (vertical) and third (oxer) part of the triple combination at fence 10 caused plenty of problems, as did the telephone box vertical at 11, while the 3.9 metre water jump caught out many combinations, especially in the first round.

Ireland were drawn fifth to go in the order. They started the day in fourth place on the Europe Division 1 leaderboard on 240 points with their place at the Nations Cup final in Barcelona well secured, while they ended the day in second place on the leaderboard with 330 points.

Aga Khan debutant Michael Duffy was first out with the Hibernian Sport Horses-owned 14-year-old grey mare Cinca (Casall x Carthago). The pair were clear over the fences but a frustrating foot at the water meant they opened Ireland’s account with four faults.

Cian O'Connor and Eve d'Quilly, owned by Nicole Walker, for Ireland in the Aga Khan Nations Cup at the 2023 Dublin Horse Show, jumped clear for Ireland in the second round \ Laurence Dunne Jumpinaction.net

Water trouble

Another Aga Khan rookie, Mikey Pender, was next out with the Irish Sport Horse HHS Calais (Cavalier Royale x OBOS Quality), bred by the late Ita Brennan and owned by Marion Hughes and Miguel Bravo. They were also foot-perfect over the poles, but a long distance to the open water resulted in a splash and four faults, meaning Ireland would have to count at least four faults in the first round.

A move from his usual anchorman position, Cian O’Connor was third to go for the team with the nine-year-old French-bred mare Eve D’Ouilly (Qlassic Bois Margot x Poor Boy), owned by Canadian show jumping rider Nicole Walker. The mare is relatively inexperienced at the level but did not look it. They were clear until the last part of the triple combination when she clipped it with her hind end to finish on four faults.

The second Irish Sport Horse on the team was the Patrick Connolly-bred James Kann Cruz (Kannan x Cruising), ridden by Shane Sweetnam and owned by Gizmo Partners Ltd. The pressure was on the pair as Ireland were lagging behind on eight faults when he entered the arena. The 10-year-old gelding never looked in any way stressed around the massive track to post a perfect clear and keep Ireland on eight at the half way stage.

Switzerland showed their wares in the opening round to lead on zero faults thanks to clear rounds from Steve Guerdat, Martin Fuchs and Edouard Schhmitz. After the first round, that win chance increased to 74%.

Ireland, Britain and France were all equal on eight faults in second place at the halfway stage; Belgium and Spain were on 12, ahead of Mexico on 16 and The Netherlands at the bottom of the leaderboard on 20 faults. Eight of the 32 combinations jumped clear in the first round.

The second round got off to a flying start with the first four riders into the arena all jumping a clear round, before Britain’s first line rider, Samuel Hutton, who was clear in the first round, was unfortunately eliminated after a fall going into the double. The other rider eliminated in the class was Spain’s Carolina Aresu Garcia Obregon when Domperignon stopped twice at the water.

Galway's Michael Duffy and Cinca jumped clear for Ireland in the second round of the Aga Khan Nations Cup at the 2023 Dublin Horse Show \ Laurence Dunne Jumpinaction.net

Irish crowd

Michael Duffy was not going to repeat the mistake of his first round with Cinca and, to the delight of the Irish crowd, a clear never looked in doubt. The Galwayman punched the air after crossing the finishing line in his first Aga Khan.

Mikey Pender finished with another four faults in the second round, just touching off the Longines vertical at fence four. Ireland were still in second place on eight faults but when Steve Guerdat posted a double clear – one of only four on the day - and Bryan Balsiger (Chelsea Z) were also clear, the Swiss looked almost home and dry with two riders to come.

Cian O’Connor was never going to be happy with four faults in front of his home crowd and he put that to bed when producing a fantastic clear second time out with the nine-year-old mare who was at home in the big arena and atmosphere.

When Fuchs entered the arena, he knew a clear or four faults round would wrap it up for his team and, with the majestic grey gelding - who spent three days hacking in the Dublin hills at the home of his groom Sean Vard before arriving at the RDS - he produced another clear to help Switzerland to their fifth win at the venue.

Schmitz, winner of the Dublin Grand Prix here 12 months ago, opted to save Gamin van’t Naastveldhof for another day with the pair selected for the Europeans. Sweetnam also saved James Kann Cruz for another day when Ireland could not be beaten for second place, which meant Ireland finished in second place on 12 faults, ahead of Mexico on 16 faults, followed by France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was on hand to present in the Aga Khan trophy in place of President Michael D. Higgins who is recovering from back surgery.

Mikey Pender and HHS Calais in the Aga Khan Nations Cup \ Laurence Dunne Jumpinaction.net

Quotes

Ireland’s chef d’equipe Michael Blake offered his hearty congratulations to the Swiss victors. “It was not the result we wanted but we did our best and it’s hard to retain something.

“The water played a bit part today and we were not expecting it to. It normally would not happen to us but today it did not totally go our way but even when things did not go our way, we still got a creditable result. Clear rounds win Nations Cup and that’s the only way you are going to win them.

“It’s a little bit sore, we have had second now for three days in a row. Obviously we are very consistent but we need to up our game one little bit.

“It’s unbelievable the Swiss have not yet qualified for the Olympics but I’m sure they are going to rectify that in Milan. They are brilliant riders and their chef d’equipe Michel is a great man, a very good friend of mine. I offer them hearty congratulations. I just wish they knocked a few poles!”

Chef d’Equipe Michel Sorg:

“It was really special to stand on the podium in this amazing arena and a dream to lift the Aga Khan trophy.

It makes my job easy to have such great guys and horses on the team.

Our goal now is to try to qualify for Paris at Milan so it was important to come here for team spirit.”

Bryan Balsiger: “I’m so sorry about the Cup -I can fix it!” he joked after a mishap with the cup. Balsiger said the win was all the more sweet given his Irish relatives were in attendance at the event.

Martin Fuchs: It (the win) was very emotional thinking about my father (Thomas) and godfather on the winning team here 40 years ago.

The Aga Khan was a dream to win, my dad told me what a big deal it was and that it was one of his favourite wins.

Compiled by Lesley Hunter Nolan