EQUESTRIAN:Ireland's pony show jumpers claimed team bronze at the European championships in Freudenberg, Germany, yesterday afternoon and are well poised for a crack at the individual medals tomorrow. But there was disappointment for the senior squad, which finished last of seven teams in the Swedish Nations Cup in Falsterbo.

Richard Howley, the Irish pathfinder in Freudenberg, returned with just two time faults before Shane Connell picked up four for one fence down. Jessica Burke, team bronze medallist at the 2005 championships in Rome, was last in and was foot-perfect to leave the Irish just two faults off the gold at the halfway stage.

A dramatic thunderstorm delayed the start of the second round by 20 minutes and the Irish bid wavered after the downpour.

Richard Howley and Emily Turkington, the youngest of the team at just 13, both picked up five faults second time around, while Jessica Burke returned a six-faulter to put the team on a final tally of 22. That was just enough for the Dutch to sweep through with two clears to claim silver behind a strong British quartet.

"I was just disappointed for the kids that we didn't get the silver, because they rode really well," said chef d'equipe Tom Slattery afterwards. "We were just a fence off and two of them were very unlucky, but it just wasn't to be."

All four team members are through to tomorrow's individual final, with Jessica Burke well placed in fifth overnight and Emily Turkington in eighth. But while the pony riders and supporters celebrated there was no party at the Swedish Nations Cup fixture, where the Irish failed to make the cut for the second round.

Denis Lynch got the team off to a perfect start with a clear from Upsilon d'Ocquier, but Cian O'Connor and Complete were eliminated at the combination, meaning that the remaining two scores would have to count. Ryan Crumley and Baltimore returned a disappointing 16 and, when Captain Shane Carey collected four with River Foyle, the Irish were out with the washing.

Despite the result, Ireland still lead the Nations Cup standings with 69 points, although Denmark's second-place finish yesterday has moved them to within nine points of the leaders.

Nations Cup standings - 1, Ireland, 69 points; 2, Denmark, 60; 3, Italy, 54.