FROM the outset, the Irish riders looked dominant at the FEI European Show Jumping Championship at Gorla Minore, Italy, and, after speedy clears on day one, all three teams (Children on Horses, Juniors and Young Riders) led going into their final days.

The first team gold went the way of the Gain Equine Nutrition-sponsored Young Rider team of Rhys Williams (Playboy JT Z), Niamh McEvoy (Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick (ISH)), Seamus Hughes Kennedy (ESI Rocky (ISH)), Max Wachman (Quintini) and reserve rider Ciaran Nallon (Fifty Shades of Grey) who led from pillar to post and secured victory before the final horse jumped to land a first medal in the division since 2016, and James Kernan’s first team gold as team manager.

Ireland added nothing to the score of 2.5 to win by a huge margin 12.59 penalties over Belgium (15.09) in the silver medal position and Britain in third on 18.41. They got off to the perfect start on Wednesday with four clear rounds to put them firmly into the lead. Williams finished second in that class with a speedy round aboard the eight-year-old gelding Playboy JT Z (74.75), owned by Williams’ Sport Horses, while McEvoy was fifth with Robin Bingham’s 13-year-old mare Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick (Limmerick x Lux Z). Wachman was 11th with Quintini, owned by Coolmore Showjumping, while Hughes Kennedy was 16th with Clare Hughes’ ESI Rocky (Stakkato Gold x For Pleasure) who eventually rose to win the individual gold medal.

Ireland led going into Friday’s final round on a score of 2.5, with Britain second on 10.41 and Belgium in third on 11.09, meaning Ireland had a fence in hand.

It wasn’t needed, however, with Tyrone’s McEvoy and Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick leading the way with an awesome clear round on what was proving a difficult course in a time of 73.34 seconds. That settled team nerves and put McEvoy into a good position individually.

Overnight individual standings leader Williams was next up and the Clare man was desperately unlucky in his round, finishing with just one pole down to finish with four faults in 74.91 seconds. That would prove to be Ireland’s discard score, however, as Kilkenny’s Hughes Kennedy secured the victory with an ice-cool performance, leaving every pole standing in a time of 76.10 seconds.

Wachman and Quintini was the very last combination to enter the arena and even with victory secured for his team, the 2022 Aga Khan winner jumped impeccably, finishing clear in 75.89 seconds to put the final touches on the ruthless victory.

Cool

It was the medal that Kernan had so desperately wanted and waited for. “I told my riders that morning that I didn’t want silver or bronze! That was my first team gold since I got the job, I knew the team had the quality to win it, I was absolutely thrilled. The courses were very technical, the Italian course designer was exceptional, he made the championships,” Kernan told The Irish Field.

“The Young Riders did all the hard work the first day with four clear rounds and the speedy times, that got them ahead. Niamh’s mare had been off for a while – this was only her second big show back but Niamh had sent me some videos and I could see she was jumping really well. She jumped an exceptional opening clear when first in for the team, that was so important. She is as cool as a cucumber; she was the person I needed at that time.

“Rhys and Seamus were riding two eight-year-olds and their horses were the talk of championships; Max was also fantastic to jump the clear at the end. To win in that fashion is absolutely incredible, with that amount to spare over the Belgians and Great Britain. They’ve all jumped so well all week, they’re a superb bunch too.”

Junior gold

On Saturday morning, the attention turned to the Junior team who won the second team gold in as many days at the Italian venue.

Brothers Eoin (Eskola M) and Timmy Brennan (Diadema Della Caccia), their cousin James Brennan (MHS I’m The One (ISH)), Coen Williams (Conthanja) and Tom Wachman (Cathalina S) finished on a final score of 7.16 to narrowly see off The Netherlands (9.12) in second while Britian finished third on 24.02.

Ireland entered the final round on a score of 3.16, which gave them the buffer of one fence to spare. With Eoin Brennan finishing his round with an unlucky four faults on board Eskola M and James Brennan having a score of eight on board MHS I’m The One ( Lancelot x Cavalier Royale), it meant the pressure was on Wachman and Williams.

Coolness personified, Wachman jumped a foot-perfect round to steady the ship and leave Ireland one clear round away from taking double gold. When the final Dutch rider Nick Nanning jumped a clear round, it meant Williams needed to be clear also in order to secure the victory for Ireland.

With ice in his veins, the combination who won the opening day’s speed class were sensational yet again, jumping clear to secure the gold.

“I’m just so, so proud of these boys – they showed so much character to hold firm and perform to that level and bring the gold medal home,” Kernan said. “I was getting greedy then, I didn’t want silver or bronze, I knew we had the quality to take the gold. Eoin Brennan has been very very good all year and his horse has been fabulous, he was so unlucky to have the back rail of the first fence but I have to commend him, he didn’t panic and rode very well to come home with four faults, that was very important.

“James Brennan’s horse jumped very well but he had two fences down, but I was still confident. Tom Wachman’s mare was jumping exceptional, he is riding at the top of his game and I was confident he could deliver and he did that. Coen Williams was last to go and he had to be clear to win; I knew he could take that pressure and I take my hat off to him, he was unbelievable.”

Children on Horses

On Friday, the Irish Children on Horses team finished a creditable eighth place of the 23 nations. The team of Harry Rush with Tabby (ISH), Ruby Lily Gaines with Castle Lux Clover (ISH), Alice Moloney riding Cosima, Lily Tunney with Caravago and Cian McMunn with Limited Edition jumped brilliantly all week and just fell short in the final round to slip down the rankings.

“They were brilliant and it unfortunately just got away from us on the final day but every one of those children will have gained wonderful experience from this championships,” said Kernan.