I am blessed and very lucky to be head of this team,” Ireland’s show jumping team manager, Rodrigo Pessoa, told The Irish Horse after the Irish took team gold and individual bronze at the 2017 Longines European Championships in Gothenburg last weekend.

Our totally committed and skilful squad of Shane Sweetnam, Bertram Allen, Denis Lynch and Cian O’Connor took team gold for the second time in the 42-year history of this event.

O’Connor then also went on to jump the brilliant Good Luck to individual bronze.

Commenting on the superb Irish result, multi-medal winner for Brazil, Pessoa noted: “After Bertram had to retire, our backs were to the wall and we were at a disadvantage, but the lads pulled together. They are a fantastic and incredible group.”

Satisfaction

When asked how it felt to win a gold medal that he could never have been eligible to win himself, he said:

“Yes, I could never have won it as a rider but to win it as a coach is a great satisfaction. There was a great deal of hard work by everybody involved and I am blessed and very, very lucky to be head of this great team.”

Pessoa then referenced back to the 2017 Aga Khan stating: “This completely makes up for the disappointment at Dublin.

“From the very beginning of the year this Championship was really our objective. We worked and we sacrificed and saved some of our horses for this. And the result now shows that we were right. But we will be back at full strength for the Aga Khan next year.”

Thanks to the owners

Finally let us offer our thanks to the owners of these wonderful horses, who made these medals possible:

Spy Coast Farm in Kentucky for Chaqui Z; Thomas Straumann in Switzerland for All Star 5 and Adena Springs and Reonnoco Jump Ltd for Cian O’Connor’s Bronze medallist – the hardy and indomitable Good Luck by Canturo out of a Furioso II dam.

Wow!

What a Championship!

10 moments to remember

1. On opening day there was that confidently executed speed clear from Shane Sweetnam on Chaqui Z that set the tone.

2. This was followed by two brilliantly fast “ridden-to-order” rounds by Denis Lynch on All Star 5 and Cian O’Connor with Good Luck that boosted Ireland into fourth.

3. The first team round saw France and Switzerland weaken. Sweden took the Lead on 8.21. Clears by Sweetnam and O’Connor and just a last fence down by Lynch lifted Ireland into joint third with Belgium on 12.11.

4. During that first team round Hector van d’Abdijhoeve repeated a crashing refusal that he had in the speed leg and Allen left the arena on foot to take no further part.

5. The final team round was a battle for gold between Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland and Sweden. When Jerome Guery knocked Belgium was no longer a threat.

6. Shane Sweetnam delivered his third “easy” clear. Both Nadja Peter Steiner and Romain Duguet faulted for Switzerland. Malin Baryard – Johnsson retired for Sweden.

7. More hope when Denis Lynch powered home clear.

8. Douglas Lindelow of Sweden came home with a nine and suddenly Cian O’Connor had one fence in hand to win Gold. “He has it” shouted our Jessica as Cian cleared the flimsy second last of 14 fences and that was it. Ireland had European team gold for the first time since Jessica herself along with Dermott Lennon, Peter Charles and Kevin Babington did it in 2001.

9. Rodrigo Pessoa turned his jacket into an Irish flag on the podium.

10. The Irish quartet sang Amhran na Bhfiannand it was all golden in Gothenburg.

Ireland – gold 12.11 penalties; Sweden – Silver(18.21);Switzerland – Bronze(20.15)