THIRTEEN-year-old James Derwin continued his incredible run of form at the CSIO Youth Finals in Peelbergen, The Netherlands when racing to victory in the CSIOP Grand Prix with his European champion Rincoola Babog.

Just like he did at the European Championships in the summer, Derwin beat James Brennan into second place with MHS Glow, while Eoin Brennan finished fourth aboard Glor Tire Cruise.

From 32 starters, 11 made it through to the jump-off. Against the clock, seven of those were clear again and Derwin showed his incredible speed with the 11-year-old Luidam gelding to break the beam in 27.72 seconds to win comfortably. Rincoola Babog is out of the 1.60m jumping mare Ricoola Abu (Cruising) and was bred by the late Harold McGahern.

James Brennan was clear in 29.04 seconds to take the runner-up spot with Sinead Brennan’s home-bred nine-year-old mare MHS Glow (Dondoctro Ryal K x Cruising), while Eoin Brennan was fourth with Tim Brennan’s 12-year-old mare Glor Tire Cruise (Ars Vivendi x Cruising), bred by Marian Russell.

Those three riders were joined by Paddy Reape (Valma de Fougnard) to finish third on the podium in Sunday’s Nations Cup competition, under the eye of manager Gary Marshall. James Brennan was double clear with MHS Glow, while Reape was clear in the first round. Ireland finished on a team total of 12. Britain took victory on six faults, while France were second with 12 faults in a faster time.

James Kernan’s Junior team of Coen Williams (Conthanja), Emily Moloney (Temple Alice), Timmy Brennan (Diadema Della Caccia) and Rhys Williams (Cowboy Balou) also finished third.

Ireland finished on a final score of nine faults, less than a fence behind Netherlands who took victory on six faults while Poland were runners-up with eight faults.

The Irish Children On Horses team of Jamie Clarke (Coumroe Special), Alanna Fagan (Bella M), Cian McMunn (Captain Marko) and Robert Russell (Loberon) earlier finished as runners-up in the Challenge Cup where victory went to Switzerland.

Two wins for Fagan

Mullingar’s Alanna Fagan had a great show when landing two victories. The first came in Thursday’s 1.25m Children on Horses class aboard Robert Fagan’s Ballycarrick Lass. The pair were the fastest of 24 clear rounds in 56.20 seconds. Alice Moloney slotted into third place with Cosima when clear in 57.93.

Fagan and Ballycarrick Lass then won Saturday’s 1.15 two-phase class, while Cian McMunn slotted into fifth with Calatis. Moloney also scored a win; she guided Jim and Ger O’Neill’s home-bred gelding Castlefield Cass (Cassidee x Puissance) to win Friday’s 1.15m.