Sport

Ireland win four-star Nations’ Cup in Florida

Robert Splaine: ‘This was an absolutely fantastic job by four very professional riders’

Cian O’Connor recorded a double clear in Florida on Friday night. Photograph: Inpho
Cian O’Connor recorded a double clear in Florida on Friday night. Photograph: Inpho
Margie McLoone
Sat Mar 05 2016 - 14:05

Ireland won the four-star Nations’ Cup in Wellington, Florida on Friday night having been tied with the USA on a zero score at the halfway stage.

Anchorman Cian O’Connor, who has been based in the area since before Christmas, recorded a double clear with the stallion Sum du Challois which he owns in partnership with Jean-Claude Jobin.

Faultless in round one, Conor Swail (Martha Louise) and Shane Sweetnam (Buckle up) had a pole down apiece on their second outing but Richie Moloney, who provided the discard score in the opening round, went clear second time out with Carrabis Z for a team total of four faults.

With clears from their first three riders, the USA’s Beezie Madden didn’t have to jump Simon in round one. However, when that combination retired on course in round two, the eight-fault score of Georgina Bloomberg (Lilli) had to be counted along with the second clears from Audrey Coulter (Capital Colnardo) and Laura Kraut (Zeremonie). Colombia finished third on 16 faults.

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Robert Splaine, the Irish show jumping manager, said afterwards: "This was an absolutely fantastic job by four very professional riders. The all played their part, jumping at least one clear round each and Cian [O'CONNOR]jumping a double clear. Richie's [MOLONEY]comeback in the second round was phenomenal and really put it up to the USA. It really was a fantastic win and very positive for the future.

“I’ve been coming here a long time and it’s a great pleasure to at last win a Nations’ Cup here,” continued Splaine. “A special word of thanks must go to the owners - without them we couldn’t be here and it’s fantastic to be on the podium. Wellington is a great home to many Irish and we appreciate the hospitality. The USA gave us a good run for our money. I felt us slipping a little bit in the second round, but we fought back and pulled it off.”

Earlier on Friday, Judy Reynolds kept alive her hopes of securing a place for Ireland in the dressage competition at the Olympics when finishing third in the Grand Prix at Doha. Riding Vancouver K, the Co Kildare rider posted an Irish record-breaking score of 74.320per cent behind Sweden’s Patrik Kittel riding Deja (77.100) and Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on Zaire (75.560).