Co Meath's Sarah Ennis is lying seventh individually going into Sunday's final show jumping phase of the European eventing championships in Strzegom, Poland, just one fence off the bronze medal position.
A superb ride over a cross-country track that caused numerous problems saw Ennis and the 13-year-old VDL Ricochet gelding Horseware Stellor Rebound pick up 0.80 of a time penalty but still climb from 14th place on a two-phase total of 39.40. Next best of the Irish is individual rider Patricia Ryan who is in 30th spot with Dunrath Eclipse (75.20).
Unfortunately, the rest of the team did not have a good day. Ryan's husband Michael looked likely to have a clear round on Dunrath Striker until a run-out close home at the second of the Ursus Tractors skinnies at 28. They are now in 42nd spot on 90.20 while, with two refusals on the course, Joseph Murphy is in 57th place on Sportsfield Othello (119.60). Austin O'Connor's participation in the championships came to an end when Kilpatrick Knight fell at the first element of fence 13, the second water.
Thirty-six of the 77 combinations jumped clear, four within the time, while eight were eliminated for either horse or rider falls. Bob The Builder, ridden by Polish individual Michal Knap, sadly suffered a fatal injury at the MIM Oxer Open (fence 15) in the Main Arena.
One combination whose fall had a major impact on the leaderboard were the leaders after dressage, Germany's Bettina Hoy and Seigneur Medicott.
While her compatriots Ingrid Klimke (Horseware Hale Bob) and Michael Jung (fischerRocana) moved up into first and second place on their first phase scores of 30.30 and 32.80 respectively, the Germans are now only second (123) in the team standings behind Britain (113.90) and just in front of Sweden (128.50) whose Sara Algotsson Ostholt is lying in the individual bronze medal position with Reality 39 (35).
"I am really thrilled for Sarah, she had a brilliant round," said team manager, Sally Corscadden. "We made the decision that if she was clear after fence four, which caused so many problems, that she should push on and have a go. She really prepared well for this, her husband (Niki Potterton) made two angled hedges to train over and all their work has really paid off. There were a lot of high profile eliminations. Some horses found it hard to read some of the fences, particularly at fence four. The tractor fence at the third last was also influential as the horses got tired.
“Austin’s horse had a bit of a change of mind at the fence that they had a fall at but thankfully they are both fine. Mike (Ryan) did good job as first to go for us. The plan with Joseph (Murphy) was for him to have a real go as they are an experienced combination. Trish (Ryan) had a really great round, to jump clear over this championship course is a super achievement. The course was very intense and the angles were unbelievable. It was a very continental type course and much different to what we are used to in Ireland or the UK. Fingers crossed that we all come through the trot-up and we are looking forward to finishing as high as possible.”
