ALONGSIDE the Irish pony and young riders, the Junior and Children on Horses teams also made their mark on the European circuit this year. This remarkable accomplishment highlights the unwavering dedication and exceptional talent of our young riders, who have firmly established themselves as the future stars of Irish show jumping.

Sentower Park

Irish youth show jumping riders enjoyed fantastic success at the FEI Youth Nations Cup show held at Sentower Park in Belgium in April. The Irish U18 (Junior) show jumping team of Gary Dooley (CSF Olympic Jewel), Paddy Reape (Creevagh Special), Camryn Clarke (Conto de Reve) and Emily Moloney (Temple Alice), managed by James Kernan, finished as runners-up in their FEI Youth Nations Cup at Sentower. Ireland finished the two rounds on a 12-fault total – the same score as The Netherlands, who finished third in a slower time than the Irish. Victory went to Belgium, who were the only team to finish on a zero score.

Galway’s Gary Dooley and CSF Olympic Jewel (ISH), bred by Brian Connolly, went on to take victory in Sunday’s 1.40m Junior Grand Prix, following a nine-horse jump-off. Kilkenny’s Emily Moloney was also in the prizes, taking sixth place with Temple Alice (ISH).

Meanwhile, in the U14 (Children On Horses) FEI Nations Cup, the Irish team of Charlie Flynn (Elia), Ted Fagan (Con Sol), Robbie Sheehan (Fubalia) and Sam Widger (Jerenice Dysenbeeck Z), managed by James Kernan, finished fourth, with victory going to Belgium.

Hagen

A dominant performance in Hagen, Germany in June saw Irish teams score a hat-trick of Nations Cup wins in the Pony (U16), Children On Horses (U14) and Junior (U18) competitions.

The Junior team, featuring Gary Dooley, Emily Moloney, James Brennan and Coen Williams, delivered a standout performance that will be remembered for years to come. The Irish Junior (U18) team were the first to take victory in their Nations Cup on Friday. The quartet of Gary Dooley (CSF Olympic Jewel (ISH), James Brennan (MHS I’m The One (ISH)), Emily Moloney (Temple Alice (ISH)) and Coen Williams (Conthanja), managed by James Kernan, finished the two rounds on a total of just four faults. That left them one fence ahead of the home team from Germany, who finished as runners up.

On Saturday afternoon, the Children On Horses team made it a hat-trick of Irish Nations Cup wins, after a jump-off against Switzerland. James Kernan’s team of Charlie Flynn (Elia), Ted Fagan (Con Sol), Robbie Sheehan (Fubalia) and Sam Widger (Jerenice Dysenbeeck Z), finished on four faults after two rounds of jumping – the same score as Switzerland. All of the combinations for both teams went clear again against the clock, with the Irish finishing with the fastest combined time to take victory.

Zurich

In August, Irish Junior riders delivered more top results when the team of Alex O’Connor, Isabel O’Brien, Alice Wachman, Marta Hughes Bravo and Charlotte Coffey took silver behind hosts Switzerland, a result that was enough to secure an overall first-place finish in the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth 2024 Europe final standings.

Ireland’s Juniors had competed in four heats of the competition, winning in Hagen, as well as claiming the silver in Zurich and the same in Opglabbeek, adding to an eighth-place at Compiegne, leaving them at the summit of the standings on 325 points, ahead of Germany and The Netherlands, who both finished on 320 points.

FEI European Championship in Peelbergen

THE Gain Equine Nutrition Irish Junior show jumping team finished an agonising fourth at the FEI European Championship in Peelbergen.

Managed by James Kernan, the quartet of Emily Moloney (Temple Alice), James Brennan (Eskola M), Eoin Brennan (MHS Everything) and Coen Williams (Conthanja), put in a super performance in the second round, having gone into it in sixth place overnight on a score total of 16.61. This left the team with a significant challenge to close the gap on leaders France, who held a score of 9.06.

However, this determined squad wasted no time in getting straight to work, relentlessly pursuing their rivals.

Moloney and Temple Alice were first into the arena and delivered a foot-perfect clear to give Ireland hope. They were followed by Eoin Brennan and Eskola M, who duly obliged with their own clear round to move Ireland into the medal positions at that point.

Coen Williams and Conthanja jumping to a clear round at the FEI Junior Jumping Championship in Peelbergen \ Tomas Holcbecher

Unlucky

James Brennan and Eskola M had an unlucky four faults and that left it to Coen Williams and Conthanja to keep Ireland in the mix. In a brilliant display of horse riding, Williams somehow managed to keep his clear round intact halfway round, as Conthanja got in far too deep before getting over the fence and staying on the pace before coming home with zero faults.

With France clinching gold and Britain guaranteed at least silver, the spotlight turned to Spain’s final rider, Olivia Alvarez García aboard Gazquine Tag. Delivering a flawless clear round, she propelled her team into a jump-off for silver and bronze. In the end, it was Britain who secured the silver medal.