Kearney unlucky to miss out on medal but experience to stand to Irish

Helen Kearney was desperately unlucky to miss out on a medal at the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships in Herning in the past week but illustrated once more that she is an elite performer with three fourth-place finishes.

It was also a competition to remember for debutant Kate Kerr-Honan, who displayed her championship credential by improving with every outing.

The finishing result for the team of ninth was disappointing when compared to the bronze medal success at the London Paralympics last year but a repeat of that magnificent achievement was always unlikely with the squad in a transitional phase.

James Dwyer and Rosemary Gaffney got the Irish under way on Wednesday, finishing 10th and 12th in the ultra-competitive Grade IV category test for the team competition. Gaffney and Ustero scored 64.333 after being first into the ring while Dwyer and 17-year-old gelding Orlando were given an average of 65.452 by the five judges.

Kearney registered her first fourth in the Grade 1a category for the team competition in the JYSK Arena on Thursday. She and Mr Cool were outstanding, finishing just over 2% short of third with an overall percentage of 72.913.

Sophie Christiansen and Anne Dunham completed a 1-2 for the all-conquering British team, with Italian Sara Morganti filling third. Unfortunately for Kearney, that would be the first four in both the subsequent individual championship and Freestyle classes.

Kerr-Horan's nerves were very evident in the Grade II category on board her new mare Arlande, which she has just three months. The 20-year-old scored 60.842, having had to endure a long wait before finally getting into the ring just after 8pm local time. It was to get much better for the Tinahely rider as the week went on.

Dwyer and Gaffney resumed activities on Friday in the Grade IV individual category, with the former improving on his initial showing to record seventh. It didn't go well for Gaffney though and a poor second half to her routine left her in 13th.

Saturday gave Kearney and Kerr-Honan their individual opportunities. Unfortunately, Kearney was unable to match her silver medal-winning feats of 12 months ago in London, or even the bronze of the last European Championships in 2011.

There were no arguments about the quality of her performance though, which earned widespread praise. Despite one judge giving her 75.217, the average score was 71.958, leaving her less than 3% adrift of Morganti and a coveted bronze medal.
Kerr-Honan showed the benefit of her first run by finishing seventh on 62.976. That gave her the added bonus of making the cut for the Freestyle final on the last day of the championships.

And that was to bring even further progress for the inexperienced campaigner, who showed tremendous composure to record a championship-high score of 65.500.
Kearney was once again right in the battle for a podium position but despite scoring 72.800, had to give best one more the Christiansen-Dunham-Morganti triumvirate.

While the team finish wasn't what it might have been, Chef D'Equipe Dara Kearney maintained that overall, it would prove to be positive week for the Irish.

"We're rebuilding and this was a test to see what we have" said the team manager.
"We'll go back and analyse what we can improve on, what horses we think are going to be serious contenders. It's not an excuse - it's a fact - that the bad winter did have a negative impact on preparations.

"Nevertheless, we have more riders with more experience as we build to the future and have more riders coming up.

"I was particularly pleased for Kate. I had been keen to test her mettle and she has the mettle, no doubt about that. She knows what she has to do and will concentrate now on the Grade II category. She only has her wonderful horse only three months and it takes six months to build a relationship. She can only get better if she knuckles down and she's committed to doing so.

"Meanwhile, Helen might not have finished with a medal but she proved once more that she's a top class championship performer and was very unlucky.

"Overall, there is plenty to work on and plenty to look forward to."