TOM Wachman didn’t touch a pole all week at the FEI Junior European Championships in Gorla Minore, Italy, with Cathalina S to finish with a team gold and individual silver on the final day of competition.

However, the pair opened in 23rd place in the first speed round after a steady clear and had it all to do to get onto the podium. That opening round was won by his team mate, Coen Williams with Conthanja. Another clear in the team final saw him enter the final individual round on Sunday in fifth place.

Knowing that nothing other than two clear rounds were required to get into the medals, Wachman delivered in spades, jumping impeccably in the first round before another super clear ensured he finished in second place, on the same score (1.82) he started with and one of just three riders to jump clear all week.

Austria’s Anastasia Nielsen topped the podium with Tailormade Contou on a score of 0.70 and Holland’s Nick Nanning took the bronze with Bandia, finishing on 2.78. Eoin Brennan placed sixth with two classy clears on the final day aboard Eskola M, but there was heartbreak for Coen Williams who, leading all week, dropped two fences in the final round to lose the gold and finish in eighth place.

Special week

Speaking about how the week went, Wachman said: “The team gold was brilliant, I was lucky enough to be on the team with very good riders and James Kernan did a great job. The big thing was to win the team gold and the individual then on Sunday was the icing on the cake.

“My horse jumped super all week, she didn’t touch a pole at all over the five rounds. The first day I was a little bit further back than I wanted to be. I was actually only 3.5 seconds off the winner but ended up in 23rd place. Then I moved up to 10th, then fifth and was third going into jump the final round.

“Unfortunately for Coen Williams, he was leading it all week and he was very unlucky not to come home with a medal in the final round. I had a good plan with Cian [O’Connor, coach] when I walked the track and I knew the horse was jumping well so I was fairly calm throughout the day and that stood to me.”

On the 14-year-old chesnut mare, Wachman added: “She is obviously really careful but she is very hot at home, she’s a bit mad! The blood that she has really stood to her at the end of the week, she wasn’t affected by the heat. The conditions were hard, it was hot and the flies were quite bad too.”

Tom and his brother Max were one of two sets of brothers on the Irish teams, along with Rhys and Coen Williams. “It was brilliant, we were lucky to be out there together and both win team golds. The family were all out there, they are big supporters of us.”

Part of that support team is his coach and mentor, Ireland stalwart Cian O’Connor, and he couldn’t hide his emotions after Wachman’s achievement. “I couldn’t be happier for him. His outstanding work ethic is inspirational to me as his coach as he has an inherent quality to dig deep and never give up – this is something that can’t be taught – I’m bursting with pride.”