Fifth-place finish for Ireland at five-star Hickstead event

The Irish Show Jumping team finished fifth at the five-star Longines FEI Nations Cup of Britain at Hickstead, where just one fence separated the top six teams at the finish.

Meath's Alexander Butler was the pathfinder for Ireland in the first round with Chilli B and they finished with four faults picked up at the second last fence.

Galway’s Andrew Bourns with Sea Topblue also came home with four faults, with the the last part of the combination their only fence to fall, while Tipperary’s Shane Breen then gave Ireland a huge boost with a perfect clear round on nine-year-old stallion Vistogrand.

Twenty-year-old Jack Ryan from Kilkenny was last to go for Ireland in the first round and came home with eight faults on BBS McGregor.

That left Ireland in a share of third place with Belgium and Brazil on eight faults at the halfway stage.

As the second round got underway, Alexander Butler and Chilli B repeated their first round score of four faults, Andrew Bourns and Sea Topblue produced a brilliant clear round to keep Ireland within one fence of the leaders, while Shane Breen and Vistogrand had one fence down for four faults.

With one rider remaining for each team, Germany had taken the outright lead, while France and Brazil were close behind in second.

Jack Ryan and the 10-year-old gelding BBS McGregor produced an outstanding clear to leave Michael Blake’s team on a final score of 12 faults.

Belgium also finished on 12 but a faster time saw them take fourth while Ireland finished fifth.

France took the winner's trophy with the fastest clear of the jump-off, while Germany finished second and Brazil took third.