Emer Bermingham

AFTER the excitement of seeing the senior event riders secure Olympic qualification at the World Equestrian Games, the focus now moves to the Gain Horse Feeds Irish young rider team who will compete at the European Championships in Vale Sabroso, Portugal next week.

The championships will run from September 17th-21st and, under the command of high performance junior eventing team manager Sally Corscadden, the team are intent on bringing back some medals.

The Irish have a particularly good record in these championships, having taken the team bronze last year at Jardy and securing silver medals in Malmo in 2012 and at Blair in 2011.

Corscadden has a very experienced team, three of whom - Elizabeth Hayden, Josh Pim and Harold Megahey - have previously served on junior eventing teams for their country.

Speaking ahead of the championships, Corscadden said: “I have a very experienced team and I am hoping to return with some medals. All team members have showed great form this season competing in both young rider and senior ranks. 

“As the championships are in Portugal, it will be a challenge as it will be hotter and the ground will be harder than here. We have put in all the preparations and we are ready for the challenge ahead.”

She added: “This year, along with Heike Holstein helping with dressage and Ian Fearon with the show jumping, we also have the help of fitness and nutritional coach Joe O’Connor and sports psychologist Kate Kirby. We as a team are very hopeful and are looking forward to the championships.”

Elizabeth Hayden (19)

Co Kildare

This will be Elizabeth Hayden’s second European Championships appearance, having formed part of the gold medal winning junior squad in Jardy France in 2013. She will partner the nine-year-old Miracle, on whom she took the silver medal last year.

This season, the combination had their first outing at Ballindenisk in April and finished 10th in the CCI** on their dressage score of 66.4. Moving on to the CIC** at Barbury Castle, Britain, they finished just outside the top 20 there and last month they finished 18th in the CIC** at Somerford Park, Britain.

This combination is particularly strong in the cross country phase, only ever picking up time penalties in their international events since taking over the ride in April 2013.

Jennifer Diamond (21)

Co Wicklow

Jennifer Diamond will ride her mother Derval’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse, Early Spring (by Kiltealy Spring out of Barnfea Chloe) in Vale Sabroso.

This combination started the season well by claiming the top spot in the CNC** in Tyrella. In May, they finished in fifth place in Tattersalls CCI** under-25 and then went on to finish third in the young rider CIC** in Camphire. Only last month they completed the CIC** at Somerford Park.

A combination that has been together for the last four years, Diamond and Early Spring have a solid foundation to work from and will add to the Irish team in Portugal.

Tony Kennedy (20)

Co Meath

This will be Tony Kennedy’s second European Championships, having been part of the Irish junior squad that competed in Jardy, France, last year. For the second year Kennedy will partner his father Con’s Westeria Lane (ISH), a nine-year-old Rantis Diamond gelding.

The Irish-bred has been produced up through the ranks by Kennedy since 2009 and the pair have produced some impressive results this year, including 10th place in the CCI** Under-25 class at Tattersalls, followed by a sixth placing in the young rider CIC** at Camphire International. The combination also completed the CIC** at Barbury Castle, finishing 31st out of 50 starters.

Jodie O’Keeffe (18)

Co Cork

Jodie O’Keeffe has plenty of experience at the European Championship level. While riding Castleview Rakish Milly she formed part of the Irish pony squad in Bishop Burton in 2010. In 2011, the pairing was part of the silver medal-winning team, while individually they took home a bronze medal. This year O’Keeffe rides Kachemire Le Beau at their second young rider European Championships outing, the pair having formed part of the junior squad in Poland in 2012.

The pair ended last season with a sixth place finish at Ballindenisk CC1** and opened their 2014 account with by winning the CIC* * at the same venue in April. Their good results continued as they went on to finish sixth in the CIC2** at Barbury Castle in July, just behind Andrew Nicholson. The combination were placed second after dressage, but time penalties on the cross-country phase moved them down the line. Just last month they finish in a respectable 12th place at Somerford Park in the CIC**. 

Harold Megahey (19)

Co Antrim

Harold Megahey brings plenty of experience to the team, having been a member of two medal winning teams over the last two years with Chuckleberry. Last year they were members of the gold medal junior squad in Jardy. Megahey was best of the Irish in the individual rankings in sixth place.

In 2012, the pair were part of the Irish silver medal team at the junior championships in Poland where they also took the individual bronze medal, finishing on their dressage score. Next week, Megahey will once again ride the very experience 15-year-old Chuckleberry. They finished last year’s International season on high note by winning the CCI**YR at Weston Park and in May of this year, completed their first CIC*** at Tattersalls. They finished in a very respectable 12th place, just picking up 6.8 time penalties cross-country.

Josh Pim (18)

Co Laois

No stranger to European Championship pressure, Josh Pim has played a role in pony squads and last year was part of the junior team that claimed gold at Jardy. For the second year in a row, he will ride his grandmother Jean’s 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse, The Irish Minstrel. The combination have tackled some big events this year, including Barbury Castle CIC**, where they put in a great performance to finish fifth. They delivered a very strong dressage test (41) and added 6.8 time penalties and four show jumping to their total score of 51.80. Pim finished behind the winner, William Fox-Pitt and Top Biats (43.40).

Last July, the pair finished second to Britain’s Sophie How in the CIC**YR  at Camphire International.