Wellington, FL – Eleven nations brought forth teams to compete in the $150,000 Nations Cup CSIO4*, presented by Premier Equestrian, the highlight event of the eighth week of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL. The flag for Ireland was raised at the end of the night as the team, consisting of Andrew Bourns, Cian O’Connor, Eoin McMahon, and Max Wachman, led by Chef d’Equipe Michael Blake, won the fourth Nations Cup for Ireland in the 21-year history of the class at WEF.
Teams from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, the United States, and Venezuela competed in Round One, and the top eight returned for Round Two under the lights in the International Arena.
Heading into Round Two, Ireland was tied with Canada at zero faults after three clear rounds from McMahon and Beerbaum Stables’s Chakra 9, Wachman and Berlux Z, owned by Coolmore Show Jumping, and Bourns on Sea Topblue, owned by QBS Equestrian LLC. With three clear rounds, O’Connor did not have to compete with Cerruti Van Ter Hulst Z, owned by Ronnoco Jump Ltd.
Just one rail behind and tied for second were Great Britain, Australia, and Mexico. Belgium and the USA sat on eight faults, while Argentina had 10 faults. There were 16 clear trips in the first round over the course designed by Nick Granat (USA) and Steve Stephens (USA).
Fortunes changed dramatically in the second round as more rails fell, but with solid performances from the Irish team, they came away with the win.
Pathfinder McMahon and Chakra 9 had just one time fault in Round Two. It was an excellent performance for McMahon, who represented Ireland in last year’s European Championships, and his horse, who tallied three clear rounds out of four in two Nations Cup performances in 2021.
Wachman has been riding Berlux Z, an 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Berlin x Major de la Cour, only since October. Berlux Z was on the team for France under the saddle of Simon Delestre at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Riding in the third spot for the Irish team, Bourns and Seatop Blue were coming off a strong WEF circuit, having won the CSI4* grand prix during week three. They recorded just an unlucky four faults in Round Two.
O’Connor was the anchor rider for Ireland, and he and Cerruti Van Ter Hulst Z, a 12-year-old Zangersheide mare by San Patrignano Cassini x Corrado entered the ring in Round Two for their first shot at the course. With refusals at fence four, they were eliminated.
Ireland finished on five total faults for the win. Canada and the United States both had a total of 12 faults after two rounds. The teams’ cumulative times were the tiebreaker, with Canada taking home second place and the U.S. finishing third. Great Britain was fourth on 16 faults, Mexico finished fifth with 20 faults, and Australia placed sixth on 29 faults. Argentina took seventh place with 30 faults, and Belgium was eighth with 32 faults.
Source: press release
Photo: copyright Sportfot
