THE Irish Junior show jumping team topped the podium in last Friday’s Nations Cup at the CSIO Pony/COH/Junior/YR show at Gorla Minore, Italy.

James Kernan’s team finished on an impressive score of four faults over the 1.40m track, seeing off Belgium in second place on five faults and Germany in third with eight faults. A big field of 15 team lined out for the competitive class.

The team was made up of three members of the extended Brennan family from Co Kilkenny in Eoin Brennan with Eskola M, James Brennan aboard MHS I’m the One (ISH) and Timmy Brennan with Diadema Della Caccia, and they were joined by Co Clare’s Coen Williams riding Conthanja.

After the first round, Ireland were on zero faults thanks to three clear rounds and a single time fault from Eoin which was discarded. In the second round, James picked up four faults while Timmy’s eight faults were discarded; Williams produced one of just five double clears in the competition.

It was the second Junior Nations Cup win in as many weeks for an Irish team, following victory in Sentower a week earlier where James Brennan and MHS I’M The One were also part of the winning team.

Pony team second

Saturday saw Gary Marshall’s Irish pony team finish second on the Nations Cup podium. The team of Lauren Adams (Kexius E Van Het Juxschot), Annie Boland (Jimtown), Lily Tunney (Fireman) and Senan Reape (Nora) finished on a team total of 16 faults behind Germany who landed victory with eight faults. Belgium were third of the seven teams with 20 faults.

The competition went down to the top three teams, and Adams completed a brilliant treble clear to hold Ireland’s position.

Also on Saturday, James Kernan guided the Children on Horses team to a runner-up finish in the Nations Cup at the venue. After the second round, there was a four-way tie for first place between Ireland, Switzerland, Italy and Germany which forced yet another jump-off.

The Irish team of Alice Moloney (Cosima), Molly Taylor (Hard to Beat), Ruby Lily Gaines (Castle Lux Clover (ISH)) and Cian McMunn (Limited Edition) battled hard against the clock and, with two fast clears from Moloney and Gaines, settled for second place behind Germany who finished on zero. Italy finished third on four faults in a slower time.

Sunday was Grand Prix day at the venue where Timmy Brennan slotted into third in the 1.40m Junior Grand Prix. Riding Diadema Della Caccia, he was one of seven double clear and broke the beam in 38.36 seconds, just under a second faster than James Brennan in fourth place with MHS I’M The One. Victory went to Italy’s Greta Lepratti (0/0 35.15).