IRELAND’S colours appeared once again on the Lanaken podium on Sunday when Kildare’s Leah Stack took silver with the Dr Noel Cawley-bred Laurina in the six-year-old final.

From the 256 combinations who started in this class at the beginning of the week, Ireland had six combinations among the 40 who made it into the final, with two of those advancing to the jump-off.

Stack (20) and Laurina (Stakkato Gold x Cruising) took the lead when they crossed the line clear in 35.75 seconds but Germany’s Katrin Eckermann and Cascajall (WESTF) managed to knock over a second off the target to secure victory in a time of 34.06.

Tyrone’s Niamh McEvoy also scored a fifth place for Ireland with BP Tiny Dancer (ISH, Plot Blue x Concorde), who was bred in Tipperary by Greg Broderick of Ballypatrick Stables.

Broderick also piloted the silver medallist’s dam, Rincarina, to multiple victories up to 1.55m level.

Proud owner

“We’re really proud of Laurina, she’s a really nice mare and very clever. I think she gets a lot of her ability from how clever she is, and Leah did such an amazing job,” owner Lisa Cawley said.

“She rode two foot-perfect rounds, just foot-perfect. She rode some fantastic lines and two really beautiful rounds.

"They always jump beautiful together, but I think for sure today they jumped the rounds of their lives.

“It’s just a little bit bittersweet that my Dad [Noel] isn’t here to see this result. He’d be so proud of her. Both of them. He’d be so proud.”

Full of praise

Sonja Egan, Head of Breeding Innovation and Development at Horse Sport Ireland, was also full of praise.

“In the six-year-old classes, we are absolutely delighted for Leah, Lisa and the wider Ballypatrick team on the six-year-old World Championship silver medal here today – what a morning it has been! It is bittersweet that Noel is not here to join in on the celebrations, but no doubt he would be extremely proud of them all,” she said.

The bronze medal went to Dutch rider Jelmer Hoekstra and the Zangersheide gelding Maddox vh Haringvliet Z, a son of Monte Bellini and Ogano and in fourth ahead of Ireland’s McEvoy was German rider Alexander Uekermann with the KWP gelding IB Easy (Emerald van ‘t Ruytershof x Dallas).