WITH just two days to go before Ireland’s crucial Nations Cup outing at Sopot in Poland, Waterford’s Peter Moloney was in excellent form at the Polish venue on Friday, when taking fifth place in the €150,000 five-star Longines Grand Prix.

Riding the Team Harmony-owned mare Ornellaia, Moloney was among 13 competitors who made it into the jump-off and he was joined by Irish team-mate Bertram Allen with Harley vd Bisschop.

Allen was among the first to go in the jump-off and finished with one fence down in 44.49 seconds to finish 10th overall. Moloney completed a double clear round with the 14-year-old Ornellaia to finish fifth in a time of 46.14 behind German winner Germany’s Daniel Deusser with Jasmien vd Bisschop (42.87).

Moloney and Allen, along with Shane Sweetnam, Paul O’Shea and Billy Twomey, are part of the Irish squad sponsored by Devenish and The Underwriting Exchange for Sunday’s Longines FEI Nations Cup in Sopot. Team manager Rodrigo Pessoa is set to name his four team members on Saturday.

IRISH PONY TEAM

The next generation of Irish riders were in outstanding form at the Future Champions show in Hagen, Germany where the Irish Pony (U14) team were victorious in the Nations Cup.

Gary Marshall’s team of John McEntee (Little Smithe (ISH), Max Foley (Valma de Fougnard), Katie Power (Ghost Rider (ISH) and Francis Derwin with the Connemara Pony Cul Ban Mistress, finished on a total of eight faults to finish one fence ahead of France in second while Sweden finished third.

Earlier at the same venue, James Kernan’s Irish U18 (Junior) team of Ciaran Nallon (Cloe GP Z), Seamus Hughes Kennedy (Louidor), Harry Allen (Dancing Queen Z) and Jason Foley (Jack van het Dennehof) finished as runners-up in their Nations Cup.

An excellent performance from the Irish quartet saw them finish on just four faults, one fence behind France who took victory, while Netherlands finished third of the 13 teams that competed.

THURSDAY

On Thursday in Hagen, Cian Harrison with the Traditional Irish Sport Horse Tabby and Kate Derwin with Luidam De La Cruise, both recorded impressive Irish wins.

Also on Thursday, Irish riders recorded two wins at the five-star Canadian show in Spruce Meadows. Derry’s Daniel Coyle beat 62 fellow competitors to win The Husky Energy Classic with Cita when first to go in an 18 horse jump-off.

“It can work to your advantage you’re not chasing anybody else, you kind of do your own thing.” commented Coyle on going first in the jump off.

The second of the two Friends of the Meadows Cup (1.45m) competitions on the North American Ring in Spruce Meadows saw Irish course designer Tom Holden oversee what proved an excellent competition.

Offaly’s Darragh Kenny went on to record his third five-star win of the Spruce Meadows circuit so far after he partnered Cazador LS to the winning clear round in 27.79 seconds.

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

Equiline – Official athlete clothing supplier of Team Ireland Equestrian

Source: Horse Sport Ireland press release