Isabel Hurley

SIX flawless clear show jumping rounds handed team gold for the second consecutive year to a very game Irish Junior event team at Bishop Burton College in Yorkshire last weekend.

In doing so they overcame stiff competition from 78 horse and rider combinations from 16 nations and upstaged the Germans who looked set for victory.

Ireland secured gold on a final score of 149.1 while team silver went to Germany on 151.2 and team bronze to France on 159.4.

Ireland’s winning gold medal team members were Lucy Latta (Cleo Ferro), Susie Berry (Carsonstown Athena), Nessa Briody (Tomboy), Cathal Daniels (Rioghan Rua) and chef d’equipe Debbie Byrne. Cathal Daniels (17) also claimed individual silver behind British gold individual winner Anna Wilks. Germany’s Jerome Robine took bronze on Quaddeldou R.

Ireland’s two individual riders were Tessa Harley (Catsky (ISH)) and Shannon Nelson (Gina Van De Neerheide).

Horse Sport Ireland chairman Pat Wall said: “Six consecutive clear rounds from the Irish was wonderful to watch and Cathal Daniels’ final round that earned him individual silver was sheer class.

“It is gratifying to see so much talent in our junior ranks for these are the senior teams and individual riders of tomorrow. I’d also like to congratulate the parents, owners and the very talented support staff,’’ said Wall.

Unexpected

A delighted Debbie Byrne told The Irish Field: “They were brilliant, such team spirit, it was slightly unexpected because we were behind the Germans. But our team went into the show jumping and jumped six clear rounds, a marvellous performance and I actually couldn’t watch at the end but you could have put your mortgage on Cathal Daniels the way he jumped, it was unreal.”

Byrne, from Ballymena, Co Antrim, paid special tribute to everyone involved, all the parents, everyone who travelled over to Bishop Burton to support them, Horse Sport Ireland, coaches Terry Boon and Ian Fearon, grooms Alex Van Tuyll and Fraser Kirby and veterinary surgeon Will Lalor.

“I really cannot stress enough the team work behind everything. It was very tight at the top with just one fence covering the top eight or 10 places. The team were great, they have now won two team gold medals in a row and we waited 34 years for the first one!”

Byrne has been in the job since 2011 when the team finished fourth. “We have built and built on what we have. We were very close to gold in Poland in 2012 and finished on team silver and an individual bronze for Harold Megahey.

“Last year, we won team gold and individual silver with Elizabeth (Hayden) and this year the same result, team gold with Cathal gaining silver,” said the chef d’equipe.

She singled out passion, commitment and a real will to make it happen as the team’s winning ingredients combined with training, progression and development.

“The plans are already being rolled into place right now for next year in Poland. We will give it a damn good try to bring home a third team gold. I would like to thank the support from the parents and owners who have backed me and allowed me to do what I do,’’ said Byrne who is a PE teacher with a young family. Her own equestrian mentors were Finola Herbertson, Jean Mitchell and Jean Pim.

The team did all its training in the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown and were backed commercially by Horse Sport Ireland, the Irish Sports Council and sponsors GAIN, TRM, Berney Saddlery; Charles Owen hats; Comfy Bed shavings and Dubarry.

Gerry Daniels, father of Cathal, said: “It was a great team result, all of the riders were great. Cathal, like the other team riders, was under pressure to go clear in the show jumping but the mare is very good and didn’t touch a pole.”

Cathal Daniels, who was also supported by his mother Marguerite and sister Leagh (12) at Bishop Burton, described the track as a nice, technical, one-star course. “The Irish team jumped six clears in the show jumping to win the gold, everyone was very, very good. I was third last to go and was lying in bronze overnight. Rioghan Rua jumped very well. She’s very careful and she’s only seven.

“There was a big band of supporters out there and there was a great atmosphere. Our team and Debbie (Byrne) were brilliant,” said Cathal who has now racked up four gold medals and a silver with double gold in Fontainebleau in 2012, and with the Jardy junior team last year.