News
Irish make it a double in Dublin
Aug 18, 2012
The Irish recorded a back-to-back double when winning the last leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 on home turf in Dublin, Ireland Friday. The result rocketed them up the leaderboard to third place behind France in the final standings, but, despite a disappointing day when finishing an uncharacteristic last, it was Germany that claimed the series title for the fifth time in the 10-year history of the top-level league.
A 29-fault total put paid to German chances this afternoon. And there was certainly excitement in the Irish camp as the comparatively young foursome of Clem McMahon, Richie Moloney, Darragh Kerins and Cian O’Connor secured the win with considerable comfort, anchorman O’Connor not jumping in the second round as the destination of the coveted Aga Khan trophy was already decided.
France finished second ahead of Great Britain in third, while The Netherlands slotted into fourth ahead of Belgium and Switzerland in equal-fifth place. Sweden finished seventh when their 28-fault score left them just ahead of Germany in eighth and last place.
The Germans were already lying last, with 17 faults on the board, as the second round began despite a lovely opening clear from Carsten-Otto Nagel and Corradina. Belgium carried 16, and the Dutch and Swiss carried 12. Surprisingly, Switzerland’s new individual Olympic champion, Steve Guerdat, produced his team’s drop-score in both rounds with the 11 year old Carpalo. And there was a surprise on the British front too when pathfinder Nick Skelton, fresh from his team gold medal winning performance in London, collected 16 first-round faults with Carlo, the horse which he clinched victory in Dublin last year. However the British, who were on a mission to avenge defeat by the Irish in the penulltimate leg of the series on their home ground in Hickstead last month, were still threatening strongly when heading into round two with just the five faults picked up by Robert Smith and Voila after both Tina Fletcher (Hello Sailor) and John Whitaker (Argento) left all the poles in place.
Closest to the leading Irish were France and Sweden carrying just four faults each, but while the former held fast to finish in runner-up spot, a disastrous 24-fault second effort saw the latter crash out of contention.
The Dutch rallied strongly when adding just four faults in round two, but the Germans and Swiss were hampered when having to add 12 more to their tallies while the Belgians wouldn’t feature strongly either when putting eight more on the board.
Skelton returned a lovely clear second time out, while Fletcher produced another flawless performance from her 13 year old gelding, but when Whitaker retired after two fences down, the British were obliged to add another five picked up by Smith to finish on a total of 10 at the end of the day.
And the French second-round effort started badly when Penelope Leprevost’s Topinambour, stopped at the wooden wall at fence seven which he had jumped without question first time out. When the stallion showed no enthusiasm for the following triple combination either, their day came to an end. The second part of a double-clear from Roger Yves Bost and Nippon d’Elle steadied the French decline and when Jerome Hurel (OHM De Ponthual) was fault-free at his second attempt the pressure was still on the Irish with one rider still to go, although the Swedes had disappeared from the reckoning when, despite a second great clear from pathfinders Jens Fredricson and Lunatic, they had to add 24 without taking into account the 20 racked up by Lisen Fredricson and Matrix.
Irish pathfinder, Clem McMahon, posted a second lovely clear from his exciting eight year old stallion Pacino, and second-line rider Richie Moloney followed suit with Ahorn van de Zuuthoeve with which he had picked up just the single time penalty first time out. Darragh Kerins and Lisona made it all the way to the final oxer before putting that on the floor, but now only a clear round from French anchorman, Kevin Staut, could pressurise the Irish. If he kept a clean sheet then any mistake from Ireland’s last man, Cian O’Connor, would provide a French victory, but it wasn’t to be, Reveur de Hurtebise HDC clipping the front element of the double at fence five to bring the the French tally to eight faults while the Irish would finish with five without the services of their London Olympic Games individual bronze medallist.
Result:
1. Ireland 5 faults: Pacino (Clem McMahon) 0/0, Ahorn van de Zuuthoeve (Richie Moloney) 1/0, Lisona (Darragh Kerins) 0/4, Blue Loyd (Cian O'Connor 4/DNS.
2. France 8 faults: Topinambour (Penelope Leprevost) 4/Elim, Nippon d'Elle (Roger Yves Bost) 0/0, OHM De Ponthual (J Hurel) 8/0, Reveue de Hurtebise HDC (Kevin Staut) 0/4.
3. Great Britain 9 faults: Carlo (Nick Skelton) 16/0, Voila (Robert Smith) 5/4, Hello Sailor (Tina Fletcher) 0/0, Argento (John Whitaker) 0/Ret.
4. Netherlands 16 faults: Tobalio (Albert Voorn) 4/0, VDL Bubalu (Jur Vrieling) 4/0, Sterrehof's Opium (Marc Houtzager) 4/4, BMC Quality time (Jeroen Dubbeldam) 12/4.
FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 - Final Standings after Round 8 at Dublin (IRL):
1. Germany - 48.00
2. France - 44.00
3. Ireland - 39.00
4. Great Britain - 38.00
5. Switzerland - 35.00
6. Netherlands - 34.50
7. Sweden - 33.50
8. Belgium - 32.00
Source: fei.org