WHAT a roller-coaster week of show jumping at the FEI Jumping European Championships in Milan where Ireland have finished with a team silver medal. Huge congratulations to Michael Duffy, Trevor Breen, Shane Sweetnam, Eoin McMahon and Michael Blake, plus individual rider Denis Lynch.

When meeting Michael Duffy at the Dublin Horse Show last month ahead of his first appearance in the Aga Khan Nations Cup on Friday, I told him my claim to fame from now on would be that we jumped on a young rider Connaught team together in a provincial competition at Cavan Equestrian way ‘back in the day’. Of course, he didn’t remember, how would he with the heights he has gone on to reach, but this amateur show jumper won’t forget!

His ambitions back then were as great as they are now. The mare, Cinca 3, has jumped three amazing rounds to this point at the Europeans and they head into the individual final on Sunday in third position. My story will be even better if I can say he is an individual medallist, no pressure Michael!

We at The Irish Field, couldn’t be happier for Michael Blake to medal at a senior championship. We all appreciate how much effort he has put into this sport from grassroots young rider level all the way up. In 2017, he was assistant to Rodrigo Pessoa when the team won gold, and now the glory is all his. Congratulations Michael.

What a wonderful achievement for Patrick Connolly and his family at CSF Studfarm in Co Galway to have bred a European team silver medallist in James Kann Cruz (Kannan x Cruising). The horse is an amazing flag bearer for Irish-breds and is still well within the hunt for an individual medal in 11th place. We wish all connections best of luck on Sunday.

After Thursday’s round, Shane Sweetnam said his mother, show jumping fanatic Marie Sweetnam, would go to mass and say a few prayers for the team ahead of the final. Well, it paid off!