Ireland add to Nations Cup haul with win in Canada

The Irish team of Daniel Coyle, Andrew Bourns, Shane Sweetnam and Conor Swail took victory in the five-star Longines FEI Nations Cup at Langley, British Columbia in Canada.

Heavy rain before and during the competition did little to dampen Irish spirits, as they took the lead at the halfway stage and held it through to the finish.

Daniel Coyle was first to go with the Ariel Grange-owned Legacy and they finished with one fence down for four faults.

Ireland then took control with two clears in quick succession from Andrew Bourns with The Irish Sport Horse Sea Topblue, owned by QBS Equestrian and from Shane Sweetnam with another Irish Sport Horse - James Kann Cruz owned by Gizmo Partners. Conor Swail was last to go for the Irish in the first round with with Count Me In, owned by Sandy Lupton & Mannon Farm and they finished with four faults to leave Ireland on a first round score of four faults - five faults ahead of Australia who were in second at that stage.

Coyle and Legacy got Ireland off to a perfect start in the second round with a clear. Bourns then completed a brilliant double clear round with Sea Topblue (ISH) which put Ireland within touching distance of victory.

Sweetnam then sealed the win when he came home with just a time fault, meaning world number five Conor Swail didn't need to jump in the second round as Michael Blake's team could not be beaten on a two-round total of five faults. Mexico finished as runners-up on 13 faults, with Austrailia third on 22 faults.

The win in Canada is Ireland's fourth Nations Cup victory of season so far, with the win in Langle coming on the back of victories in Abu Dhabi, Florida and Lisbon.

Ireland now turn their attention to their first points-scoring FEI Nations Cup in Europe