The Irish Show Jumping team of Denis Lynch, Bertram Allen, Cian O’Connor and Daniel Coyle, managed by Michael Blake, have qualified for tomorrow’s (Friday) final at the 2022 ECCO FEI World Championships at Herning in Denmark, where along with World Championship medals, five coveted team places are on offer for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Ireland started the day in 11th place of 22 teams, carrying forward a score of 11.15 penalties from Wednesday’s opening speed class. Denis Lynch was first to jump for Ireland in today’s competition with Brooklyn Heights and the Tipperary rider finished with one fence down for a four fault score. Wexford’s Bertram Allen was next to go for Michael Blake’s team and he finished with two fences down for eight faults with the Irish Sport Horse Pacino Amiro.
Ireland were outside the top 10 at the halfway stage before Meath’s Cian O’Connor delivered a vital clear round with C Vier 2. That moved Ireland into the all important tenth place with one rider left to jump for each team. Derry’s Daniel Coyle was Ireland’s anchor rider with Legacy and they jumped clear over the fences, picking up two time penalties. That left Ireland on a final score of 17.15 which would see them finish in ninth place and safely through to the final. USA, Italy, Denmark and Spain were among the 12 teams who failed to qualify.
Friday’s World Championship final will be jumped under floodlights starting from 8pm Irish time. All scores will be carried forward with Sweden in pole position on 3.69 penalties. France are in second on 5.44 with Germany currently in bronze medal position on 11.76. The remaining two Olympic qualifying places are occupied by Netherlands (13.31) and Belgium (13.49). Less than one fence separates the remaining five teams including Ireland, setting up what promises to be a titanic battle for World Championship medals and Olympic qualification on Friday night in Herning.
On the individual standings, Cian O’Connor is best-placed of the Irish in 17th spot on 4.70. French rider Julien Epaillard holds the lead on a zero score.
