Irish Eventing team runners-up in FEI Eventing Nations Cup at Camphire as Sam Watson takes individual win

A brilliant performance from Sally Corscadden’s Irish Eventing team of Foran Equine Rider Sam Watson, Fred Scala, Sarah Ennis and Brian Morrison has seen them take a runner-up finish in their home leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup series at Camphire International Horse Trials. Ireland had risen from fifth place after Friday’s Dressage, to second place after Saturday’s Cross Country, when all four Irish riders jumped clear. Clear Show Jumping rounds in Sunday’s final phase from Sarah, Brian and Sam saw Ireland finish on a final score of 104.90 to take second place overall behind New Zealand who took victory with a score of 98.90.

The individual CCIO4*-S competition saw Foran Equine Rider Sam Watson take a superb victory with Imperial Sky (ISH), who is owned by Hannah Watson along with Tom and Cathy Byrne. Just as they had done in Saturday’s Cross Country, Watson and Imperial Sky jumped clear inside the time in the final Show Jumping phase despite being under huge pressure from New Zealand’s Tim Price who finished less than one fence behind in second with Bango (ISH).

In an emotional moment at Camphire, one of the greatest riders in the history of Equestrian Sport, New Zealand’s Sir Mark Todd, announced his retirement from the sport, having helped New Zealand to victory in the FEI Nations Cup. Todd won gold medals at Los Angeles (1984) and Seoul (1988) Olympics, the Badminton Horse Trials on four occasions, the Burghley Horse Trials five times, and as a member of New Zealand’s Eventing team, he won gold medals at the World Championships in 1990 and 1998, plus 20 or more other international events, and numerous other international individual and team titles.