TEAM Ireland secured three-star Nations Cup success at Vejer de la Frontera in Spain last Friday week when the team of Susan Fitzpatrick with Lovely Stassi PS, Niamh McEvoy with Olympic GL ‘FVD’, Max Wachman with Tipperary and Ethen Ahearne with LVS Goldrush (ISH) (Stakkato Gold x Arko III, bred by Heritage Bloodstock Ltd and owned by Dermot Walsh), under the guidance of Taylor Vard, took the win for the second year in a row from a large entry of 17 teams to retain the trophy they won last year.

The Irish team got off to a good start in the first round when Fitzpatrick jumped clear and McEvoy kept all the fences standing but incurred just two time penalties. Wachman finished on eight faults, which ended up as the discard score when Ahearne jumped a lovely clear round, putting Ireland into the lead at the halfway stage on a score of just two penalties. Ireland’s nearest rivals after round one were Spain and Germany, who were both sitting on five faults.