THE Irish eventing team just missed out on the podium in the SAP Cup Nations Cup competition at CHIO Aachen last weekend which was exciting until the final horse, eventually going the way of the home nation of Germany, while British world champion Yasmin Ingham took the individual took spot.

It was a good day for Joseph Murphy who rose from 23rd after dressage (32.50) to finish in 9th place with Calmaro, adding 4.40 penalties in show jumping, before storming around the cross-country course on the final day, adding another 4.40 time penalties. The 12-year-old gelding is owned by Claire Mayne, Charlie Mayne, Annette O’Callaghan, Richard Ames, Tanya Ames. Cathal Daniels rose from 30th after dressage to finish in 11th place with Mags and Frank Kinsella’s Irish Sport Horse mare Rioghan Rua (Jack of Diamonds x Flamount King).

On the final day when nobody got inside the time allowed, Ingham and Banzai du Loir got back in front; they led after the first phase (23.50), but two show jumping time penalities dropped them to third overnight. However, they were on it across the country, just adding 1.60 time penalties to win on 27.10, just 0.10 of a penalty ahead of home favourite Michael Jung and Fischerchipmunk FRH (27.20). Recent Kentucky five-star winner Tamra Smith and Mai Baum finished third on the podium (33.70).

The German team of Malin Hansen-Hotopp, Christoph Wahler, Sandra Auffarth and Jung won the team competition on an overall score of 104.9, ahead of the USA (108.2) and Great Britain (136.6). It was an open race between the three teams up until the last rider. The Irish team of Murphy, Daniels, Sarah Ennis and Susie Berry finished fourth on 141.70.

Thrilled

Yasmin Ingham was thrilled to win after a disappointing Kentucky when she picked up 20 penalties. She commented: “I am pretty speechless. I am very glad to be here representing my country. My amazing horse did everything right. He did brilliantly in the dressage, there are a few areas I can still polish up, a few marks to grasp, but overall he performed brilliantly. I could have kicked myself after the show jumping. I rode too slowly, didn’t canter enough, I couldn’t fault him, but I was a bit frustrated with myself. I channelled that frustration so that I would impress in the cross-country.”

Joseph Murphy was also over the moon with Calmaro’s performance, saying: “It is very different to any other competition in the world. Aachen is a special place and the cross-country is like a Formula One track. It is fast and technical; you have to go very very quick from the start.

“As the day went on, the ground got a little bit greasy and tacky in places; as we can see from the scoreboard, the latter half of the day caused a good bit of trouble. I was in that section and Calmaro was fantastic. I am really pleased at how he coped and how quick he was around there. He came here on the back of a very quiet spring, I felt I was one run short coming here but saying that, I am incredibly happy with how he went. He just loved it, he knew he was at a big competition, I really really enjoyed it, it was a fabulous day of sport.”

Two-time Aachen winner SAP Hale Bob was officially retired from the sport on Saturday afternoon at the venue by longtime partner Ingrid Klimke.