THE Gain Equine Nutrition Irish young rider team are back-to-back European champions after dominating the field to win in Kronenberg, The Netherlands, last Friday.
The team of Niamh McEvoy, Tom Wachman, Max Wachman, Francis Derwin and Rhys Williams won with a rider to spare after Derwin’s clear round meant they couldn’t be caught.
Ireland held a commanding lead overnight on Thursday after some superb performances earlier in the week and they had the luxury of poles to spare, lying in the gold medal position on a score of 5.74. This score included first round double clears from both McEvoy and Tom Wachman, with minor time penalities, and a four-fault round from Derwin.
Lying second at this stage were Germany on 20.03, with Belgium third on 22.89 and team France fourth on 22.98.
In the final, an unfortunate eight faults for McEvoy with Jasmim Da Hermida (Milton du Murier FR x Papillon Rouge) put the Irish position in peril, but Tom Wachman settled any potential nerves on board Cathalina S (Catoki x Sandro owned by Coolmore Showjumping) with just one pole down.
With the lead built up, it meant that a clear round, or even four faults from Derwin and Flexi K (ISH, breeding below) would guarantee back-to-back wins and he duly delivered to secure the title in style. Max Wachman and Kilkenny (ISH by Cardento 933 x Guidam, owned by Susan Magnier and bred by Sinead Brennan) also had one pole down after the victory was sealed.
France rose one spot to secure second after a zero-fault final tally and Belgium dropped to third when adding five penalties to finish on 27.89.
Horse Sport Ireland youth show jumping team manager, James Kernan, said: “To win one European Championship is a phenomenal achievement, but to go back-to-back is truly special. They are a fantastic bunch of riders, who give everything they have every time they put on the green jacket and they have worked so hard to get where they are – I’m incredibly proud of them.
“We had obviously given ourselves a great chance of the victory after the way we had jumped before today, and Friday was really about managing the lead and making sure we got over the line – but we’ve done it in style.
Tom Wachman and Cathalina S were part of the gold medal-winning young rider team at the FEI European Championships \ Tomas Holcbecher
“I must thank Horse Sport Ireland, Gain Equine Nutrition and all our sponsors – without them, none of this can happen. A very special thank you also goes to our vets and all the support staff who help make this possible. And the parents and grandparents – their unwavering support of our riders enables them to achieve these great things and I hope they enjoy this incredible win.”
Philip Gilligan, Gain Equine Nutrition Irish Country Manager, said: “Congratulations to the Gain Equine Nutrition Young Rider team on their outstanding performance. We are incredibly proud to support such talented riders.”
Individual silver
All four team riders were extremely well positioned individually after the first class of the individual competition, with Tom Wachman in the gold medal position, McEvoy in second, Derwin in ninth and Wachman in 11th.
Wachman and McEvoy then both jumped clear rounds in the first round of the second class, with Max Wachman and Derwin both only having one pole down each to keep themselves very much in the hunt. Despite some second round errors, all four of the Irish were in the top 12 going into the finals and it was very much all to play for, with Tom Wachman lying in fifth, Derwin in sixth, McEvoy in 10th and Max Wachman in 12th, the latter two withdrawing before the finals.
Finals nerves clearly didn’t affect Derwin and the Irish Sport Horse Flexi K, as they were one of only three combinations to pull off double clears in the final. This performance saw them rocket into eventual second place, bagging Ireland’s second 2024 European medal.
Flexi K (ISH)[TIH] is a 2013 gelding by Flex A Bill out of Deeply Dippy K (ISH) by Luidam (KWPN) and bred by Knightfield Stud, Co Kildare.
Gold went to Great Britain’s Oliver Fletcher and Hello William, who were clear all the way apart from two time penalties. Bronze went to French pair Jules Orsolini and Charlotte 198 when a final round error saw them slip from first.
Tom Wachman and Cathalina S were also in the final line up, finishing in sixth position overall, after having just one pole down in each round of the final.
Flynn fires up
Congratulations also go to to Children On Horses athlete Charlie Flynn and Elia (Wizzerd WV x Heartbreaker) on his FEI European Championships debut, where he finished individually just outside of the medals on Sunday in fourth. This pair carried just four faults into the final and were just slightly off the mark in the jump-off going clear in 31.58, less than a second slower than winner, Spain’s Aleksandra Hearst riding Corelien.
The Gain Equine Nutrition Children on Horses team of Ted Fagan with Con Sol, Charlie Flynn with Elia, Daisy O’Dea with CSF Zurich (ISH by VDL Zirocco Blue x Quidam de Revel owned by Martin O’Dea and bred by Patrick Connolly), Robbie Sheehan with Fubalia, and Sam Widger with Jerenice Dysenbeeck Z were in eighth after the second day of jumping in Kronenberg, but ended up in 11th after a final round tally of 16.
Great Britain won COH team gold on their zero tally, with a jump-off deciding that silver would go to Belgium and bronze to Spain.