Perfect Ireland win five-star La Baule Nations Cup on zero score

Irish Independent

a day ago

Michael Blake's team, fresh from a dominant four-star victory in Langley, Canada last Sunday, were ruthless in France, finishing on a perfect zero score under immense pressure to continue their sparkling run of form.
It was a blend of experience and emerging talent in the Irish team as Cian O'Connor and Bertram Allen were joined by young guns Seamus Hughes Kennedy and Tom Wachman, with all four contributing clear rounds to keep Belgium at bay, with Brazil finishing in third.
Horse Sport Ireland High Performance Show Jumping Manager Blake was understandably delighted after the result, saying: 'That was phenomenal. We came here with really high expectations but when we saw the start list, with some of the world's biggest names in opposition, it put us back in our box a little bit.
'We knew how good we were, though, and we knew that if we kept jumping clear Belgium would have to match us and so would everybody else. The lads were magnificent and kept on ramping up the pressure on the rest, and eventually they couldn't live with us.
'This is one that's escaped us for a few years and I had it on my bucket list so I'm thrilled. Obviously, it's been a great week, having won last Sunday in Canada and I couldn't be happier.
'These lads are just brilliant – Cian and Bertram are incredible riders who have seen it all and know when to deliver, and I'm especially proud of Tom and Seamus – the two lads have come through our youth programme and have gained valuable experience through the EEF Series, and that showed today as they delivered at the highest level.
"The last time we won here, in 2011, Seamus was eight years old and Tom was six! It shows how strong this programme is that these two lads performed so well and we could have Shane Sweetnam here as our fifth rider."
Allen was double clear on Qonquest De Rigo, and he echoed Blake's sentiments. 'Coming to La Baule is a highlight of the season, it's great to win here. It's a traditional show, one of the Rolex Series, which are always the best shows and are where all the best riders want to be.
'As Michael said, when we saw the start list yesterday, we knew it would be difficult but we knew we had a good team, good riders and good horses, so we were confident of a good result.'
It was the perfect start for Ireland as pathfinder Allen and Qonquest De Rigo, jumping first of the 40 combinations from 10 nations competing after Ireland were drawn number one to jump, delivered a sparkling clear round inside the time.
It was never in doubt for the Wexford rider and his nine-year-old, and paved the way for Ireland's second rider Hughes Kennedy.
The 23-year-old Kilkenny man and the Ennisnag Stud-bred Irish Sport Horse ESI Rocky, owned by his mother Clare Hughes, also produced the goods for chef d'equipe Blake and the Irish team, putting in a performance in the saddle beyond his years on the 10-year-old.
With two riders clear, it was Tipperary's Wachman and Tabasco De Toxandria Z next in for the boys in green, with the youngster having already won a class earlier in the week.
It wasn't the round they had hoped for and they finished on a score of eight faults, which would prove to be Ireland's discard score at the break as a nerveless O'Connor and his 14-year-old, did the business for another Irish clear round just when they needed it most, ensuring a zero score after round one.
Joining them at the head of affairs at the break was Belgium, with Olympic champions Britain in third on four faults and the likes of Sweden, France and Brazil on eight.
After the restart, Allen was required to do what he and Qonquest De Rigo had done in round one and go clear. He duly obliged to put pressure on the Belgians, as the pair began to trade blows at the top of the leaderboard.
Nicola Philippaerts and Katanga v/d Dingeshof held up their end of the bargain to keep both nations on clean scores, with Hughes Kennedy next in for Ireland with ESI Rocky (ISH).
Once again, the pair were imperious and delivered a crucial double clear to really ramp up the pressure on Belgium, who had Pieter Devos and Casual DV Z to jump as their second combination.
They couldn't add their own double clear and it gave the Irish a glimpse of the finish line, with a clear round from either Wachman or O'Connor guaranteeing at least a jump-off to win gold.
Coolness personified, Wachman was superb in the saddle on Tabasco De Toxandria Z to secure a faultless finish for Blake's team, meaning that Abdel Said and Bonne Amie simply could not afford any slip-ups.
They kept their calm to go clear and with Ireland guaranteed a zero score, O'Connor's services were not required in round two, with just Belgian anchor Giles Thomas and Ermitage Kalone to come, themselves with no room for error.
They couldn't rise to the occasion, however, with one pole down handing the victory to Ireland to cap a magical week following the Langley success.