THERE were smiles all round as Team Ireland came out on top in last Thursday’s Young Rider 1.45m Nations Cup at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth Tour at Sentower Park in Opglabbeek, Belgium. Denis Flannelly’s team of Aidan O’Brien on Gisborne VDL, Harrison Blair on l’Esprit Hero Z, Jenny Dunlop on Gidion B and Ben Walsh on Zenith VD Donkhoeve Z accrued the fewest faults of the 10 participating teams over a very tricky course, which saw only two double clears from the 40 riders. Ireland finished on 12 faults, ahead of runners-up France on 16 and Belgium placed third on 20.

Then, following the lead of their Young Rider colleagues, the Irish pony team took the top spot in Friday’s Pony 1.30m Nations Cup. The squad of Jack Dore on K-Little Hero, Robbie Sheehan on Pjotr van de Groenheuvel, Ted Fagan on Ballyfore Rosie and Charlie Flynn on HK Zena finished the first two rounds on a score of four faults, equal with France, so a jump-off was required to decide the placings. Despite the unfortunate elimination of Dore, Sheehan, Fagan and Flynn all jumped clear when it mattered and they came out with a zero score, which relegated France to second place with four faults. Sweden placed third.