Irish Eventing team win historic European Championship silver medal
The Irish Eventing team has bridged a 30-year gap by claiming the team Silver Medal today (Sunday) at the FEI Eventing European Championships at Blenheim Palace in the UK.
A sensational performance by the Irish quartet of Ian Cassells (Millridge Atlantis (ISH), Aoife Clark (Full Monty De Lacense), Padraig McCarthy (Pomp ‘n’ Circumstance) and Robbie Kearns (Chance Encounter (ISH) [TIH], saw them take the silver medal behind gold medal winners Germany, while France took home the bronze.
Ireland had been in seventh place after the opening Dressage phase on Friday, before an outstanding Cross Country performance on Saturday moved the Irish up five places to second heading into the final Show Jumping phase. With Aoife Clark suffering an elimination during the Cross Country, the pressure was still on Ireland in the final phase as all scores from their remaining three riders would count. Dag Albert’s team kept their cool with a clear round from McCarthy along with a single rail apiece from Cassells and Kearns leaving Ireland on a final score of 161.9 and with almost two fences to spare over bronze medal winners France who finished on 167.5. Germany are the new European Champions, taking the gold medal with a score of 124.9.
Padraig McCarthy finished best of the Irish individually in 12th place, with Ian Cassells 14th, Sarah Ennis 15th, and Robbie Kearns 18th. The European Championship individual gold medal has been won by Britain’s Laura Collett and London 52. Germany’s Michael Jung and Fisherchipmunk FRH took the silver, while Britain’s Tom McEwen and JL Dublin secured the bronze. Black Ice (ISH), bred in Co Down by Judith McClelland, finished in eighth place with Jerome Robine (GER).
Ireland’s last European Championship team medal in Eventing came at Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy in 1995, when the Irish team of Mark Barry, Virginia McGrath, Eric Smiley and Lucy Thompson took home the bronze medal.
The last European silver medal win for Ireland was on home soil in Punchestown in 1991 with the quartet of Sonya Duke, Olivia Holohan, Jeremy Spring and Fiona Wentges, while Ireland’s sole European Championship Eventing team gold medal win, remains as the 1979 triumph in Luhmühlen, Germany of John Watson, David Foster, Alan Lillingston and Helen Cantillon.
Irish Horse Board Director General Alison Corbally said:
“This was an incredibly impressive performance from the Irish team to secure our first European Championship Eventing team medal in 30 years. Many congratulations to Ian Cassells, Aoife Clark, Padraig McCarthy, Robbie Kearns and team manager Dag Albert, along with all of their owners and support staff. A special mention also to Sean O’Loughlin who is the breeder of Millridge Atlantis (ISH) and to Robin Johnson who bred Chance Encounter (ISH)(TIH) and to all the Irish breeders who enjoyed great success at these championships.”
BREEDING
Millridge Atlantis (ISH) – 2014 gelding by Dinan Cascaletto (ISH) out of Kereen Sue (ISH) by Warrenstown You 2 (ISH). Breeder: Sean O’Loughlin, Co Kilkenny. Owner: Fiona Leahy and Gerry Leahy
Chance Encounter (ISH)(TIH) – 2009 gelding by Creevagh Grey Rebel (ID) out of Camedia (TB) by Lord Americo (TB). Breeder: Robin Johnson (Antrim). Rider: Robbie Kearns (IRL)
Black Ice (ISH) – 2010, Gelding by Vechta (KWPN) out of Brookhall Lady (ISH), by Touchdown (ISH). Breeder: Judith McClelland, Co. Down. Owner: Dorothea Von Zedtwitz. Rider: Jerome Robine (GER).