Irish Team Finish Joint Second in Lisbon Nations Cup

In the FEI promotional league Nations' Cup at Lisbon in Portugal this evening (Friday), the Irish team of Peter Smyth, Marion Hughes, Andrew Bourns and Edward Doyle finished as joint runners up with Spain on 24 faults, with victory going to Belgium.

Three of the Irish team rode Irish Sport Horses.

Peter Smith and Hermione V had two fences down in the first round, but recovered to record just four faults in the second. Marion Hughes and Heritage HHS Fortuna (ISH) had one fence down in each round, while Andrew Bourns and Roundthorn Madios (ISH) incurred four faults on their first attempt, but achieved Ireland's only zero score in the second round.

Edward Doyle and Samgemjee (ISH) had the Irish discard score of 12 faults as anchorman in the first round, and retired in the second, giving Ireland its final tally of 24 faults, equal with Spain.

The Belgian team won on a total of 16 faults. Ten nations took part in the competition.

Smyth also took an individual third place in Thursday's jump-off on the Irish Sport Horse Corrib House, while Doyle and Samgemjee had a seventh in the night's feature jump-off competition, with Smyth and Hermoine IV in ninth and Bourns on Roundthorn Madios in tenth.

Paddy O'Donnell and the Irish Sport Horse Hey There Delilah also placed fifth in Friday's 1m40 speed class.