Sport

Ireland’s eventing team qualify for 2016 Olympics in Rio

Sixth-placed finish at World Equestrian Games in Normandy good enough to make Brazil

Ireland’s Aoife Clark in action on Fenyas Elegance during the cross country section during the FEI World Equestrian Games in Caen, France. Photograph: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Ireland’s Aoife Clark in action on Fenyas Elegance during the cross country section during the FEI World Equestrian Games in Caen, France. Photograph: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Margie McLoone
Sun Aug 31 2014 - 19:01

Ireland qualified for the eventing competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when finishing sixth yesterday at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy.

Having been last of the Irish combinations after dressage, Aoife Clark and PJ Hegarty's home-bred Ricardo Z mare Fenyas Elegance finished best placed of the six in 21st place.

Germany took the honours and the individual gold and silver medal winners, Sandra Auffarth (Opgun Louvo), who had led after the dressage but was in overnight second, and the European and Olympic champion Michael Jung (Fischerrocana FST). Also on the team were Ingrid Klimke, who finished 14th, while Dirk Schrade provided the discard score.

Great Britain's William Fox-Pitt led after the very difficult cross-country phase but his mount Chilli Morning lowered the second of the show jumping fences to drop to third. However, Britain secured the team silver thanks to a good clear from Zara Phillips on the Irish-bred High Kingdom while Tina Cook finished 16th. Sadly, Wild Lone, the Irish-bred mount of Harry Meade, collapsed and died after Saturday's cross-country. The Netherlands won team bronze.