AS we went to press on Friday evening, the Irish pony show jumping team landed the team gold medal for the second year in-a-row at the FEI European Championships in Le Mans, France.

Gary Marshall’s team was made up of Kian Dore riding Edel Dore’s 10-year-old gelding Sparkling Lackaghmore Joey; Abbey Oakey with James Oakey’s the 12-year-old mare Boutade Ste Hermelle; Paddy Reape and the 13-year-old gelding Fernando, owned by Jonathan Reape; defending European champions James Derwin with his father Jim’s 12-year-old stallion Rincoola Babog (ISH) and Emily Moloney with Lady Crown, owned by Miriam Moloney.

The team finished on a team total of zero faults over three rounds of jumping to take gold, well ahead of Sweden in the silver medal position on 12 faults, and Britain with the bronze on 16 faults.

Eventing

The pony eventing team hold the gold medal position following dressage at the venue ahead of today’s (Saturday) cross-country phase. Leading the team in second place individually is two-time individual silver medallist Ben Connors with Kieran Connors’ and Michelle Nelson’s Connemara Pony Cornafest Fred on a score of 27.0.

Carla Williamson and Galco, owned by her mother Janet, are just behind him in the bronze medal position (27.4), while Ciara O’Connor (Agharanny Minstrel) and Molly O’Connor (Coolnaleen Rebel) are in 27th and 32nd places, respectively, leaving Ireland on a team score of 88.3.

They are just two marks ahead of France (90.7) in second place while Germany hold third (93.3). French individual rider Maxime Goutailler (Versailles des Morins) leads the individual leaderboard on 26.9.

Full reports from the FEI Pony European Championships in next week’s paper.