Ireland’s Pony team wins superb silver at European Championships

Ireland’s Pony team (Under-16) have won the European Jumping Championships silver medal after a team jump-off on a nail-biting afternoon in Le Mans, France, this afternoon.

Denis Flannelly’s team of Ruben Foley, Sam Widger, Cian McMunn, Charlie Flynn and Lily Tunney produced a perfect display of jumping over the course of two days to win the big prize and regaining their crown as Europe’s top dogs.

Finishing on a score of zero faults and level with Britain after three rounds, the result came down to a team jump-off in which Ireland finished on four faults, with Britain jumping three clear rounds to secure gold. Belgium filled the podium on a final tally of four faults.

Horse Sport Ireland Youth Show Jumping Lead Consultant, Denis Flannelly, who led the Junior (Under-18) team to team gold in Riesenbeck, Germany, earlier this month, was delighted with the result and heaped praise on his team.

“They were absolutely brilliant – I can’t speak any higher of this team. We have been all around Europe this year and been having great results in Nations Cups but championships bring their own level of pressure and they all handled it brilliantly.

“From the very beginning, we have been clear here – which is an incredible achievement. To finish a championship on a zero score shows the level of rider and the level of pony we have within our ranks, and I couldn’t be any prouder. There is a sense of disappointment and ‘what could have been’ for the riders but they have done their country extremely proud.

“We know how difficult a team jump-off is and they were superb again but today it just didn’t go our way. To win silver is fantastic, and all our riders are very much still in the hunt for individual medals on Sunday.

“I must thank all of the riders’ parents, our Youth Athlete Liaison Liz Brennan, vet Tim O’Hagan, Hayley Devlin from the sport department in Horse Sport Ireland and everyone behind the scenes who put so much work into this programme. A huge thanks also to the grooms and support staff, who have been invaluable.

“As well as that, we have magnificent sponsorship from the likes of Bucas, Equieire, Dubarry, TRM Ireland and Berney Bros. They have us kitted out here this week and we haven’t wanted for anything. It also couldn’t be possible without the funding Sport Ireland provides the programme – we are all very grateful for their continued support.”

Ireland entered the final round of jumping this afternoon level on the zero score with Britain and second last to go. Ruben Foley and Wineport Q Junior were Ireland’s pathfinders and their clear round put pressure on Britain’s Holly Gerken, who was clear herself until the last fence, where she rubbed a pole to finish on four faults.

That opened the door for the Irish, but the championship went back and forth as Sam Widger and Western Ranger were desperately unlucky to knock the second last as torrential rain began to pour.

Darcy Breen, daughter of Irish senior rider Shane, went clear for Britain as the two four-fault rounds for both nations potentially became a discard score and they were back level, with Belgium still in the hunt in third on four faults.

Niels van Rossem guaranteed a Belgian medal with another clear round before Flynn and HK Zena entered the arena. Under immense pressure, Flynn was the coolest man in Le Mans, making it look easy with his third faultless performance of the week.

Nellie Lock was next for Britain, needing a clear of her own to maintain parity for her team and, to her credit, she obliged to leave it down to the anchor riders.

Tunney and Fireman were foot perfect, never looking like dropping a pole and it meant Sophia Rogers needed a clear to force a team jump-off, which she did under the greatest of pressure.

Foley and Wineport Q Junior were first in the jump-off and went clear in 40.24 seconds before Gerken dropped the last for Britain and four faults – advantage Ireland.

Widger was lightning quick to go clear in 39.69 seconds with Breen next for the reigning champions. She was clear in 40.59 seconds, meaning Ireland were still in front. Flynn had four faults, meaning Britain had hope with Lock next into the arena. She didn’t jump for time and went clear in over 44 seconds.

With four faults after Tunney had the plank down, momentum shifted back in Britain’s favour at the death, meaning Rogers was afforded the opportunity to jump clear to secure the gold medal. With that in mind, she jumped clear in a much slower time, within the limit, to secure gold.

Focus for Ireland’s jumpers now switches to the individual competition, where further medals are potentially on the horizon. McMunn, jumping as an individual, remains clear through three rounds with Esperando SK, one of just seven combinations to jump perfectly throughout.

He is joined at the head of affairs by teammates Tunney, and Flynn as three Irish sit clear with the final round coming on Sunday after a rest day tomorrow. Widger is just one pole behind on four faults in eighth place and Foley only two poles down behind the leaders in 13th.

The Irish Youth High Performance Programme is exclusively funded by Horse Sport Ireland and Sport Ireland

Bucas – official supplier to Horse Sport Ireland’s High Performance programme

The Horse Sport Ireland Youth High Performance programmes are kindly sponsored by Equieire, TRM Nutrition, Berney Bros and Dubarry

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