Tipperary brothers among the medal winners at European Youth Show Jumping Championships

Above: At the FEI European Showjumping Championship for Juniors (Individual) in Gorla Minore, Italy, were, from left, silver medal winner Tom Wachman, Ireland; gold medal winner Anastasia Nielsen, Monaco; and Nick Nanning, The Netherlands, who won bronze. Picture: FEI/Marta Fusetti 

Goolds Cross, Cashel brothers Tom and Max Wachman produced outstanding performances last weekend to help Ireland achieve phenomenal medal success at the FEI European Youth Show Jumping Championships in Gorla Minore, Italy.

Tom Wachman played a key role in helping the Irish Under 18 (Junior) team win the team gold medal, with the Tipperary rider delivering several important clear rounds with the 14-year-old mare Cathalina S.

The James Kernan-managed Irish team of James Brennan with the Tom Brennan-bred MHS I’m The One (ISH), Eoin Brennan with Eskola M, Coen Williams with Conthanja, Tom Wachman with Cathalina S and Timmy Brennan with Diadema Della Caccia finished on a final score of 7.16 penalties.

Ireland came into the final day with a slender lead over the Dutch. At the finish, it needed two clear rounds from Ireland’s last two riders to secure the gold, as The Netherlands completed the final day with three clears to take silver, while Britain won their second bronze of the championships after a jump-off with Monaco.

Speaking to The Irish Horse Board, Irish Youth Show Jumping team manager James Kernan said:
“The riders and horses were superb. They were under real pressure but they handled it brilliantly, especially Tom and Coen”.

Tom Wachman also went on to take home the individual silver medal with a fantastic performance in the individual final.
He produced two clear rounds on the final day to climb up the leaderboard to finish just 1.82 penalties behind Anastasia Nielsen, who took the gold medal for Monaco.

Kilkenny’s Eoin Brennan finished in sixth place with Eskola M, while Clare’s Coen Williams and Conthanja finished eighth.
The Under 21 (Young Rider) final saw Max Wachman also win a team gold medal for Ireland with a brilliant performance aboard Quintini.

The gold medal-winning Irish team included two Irish-bred horses, with Kilkenny’s Seamus Hughes Kennedy riding the Ennisnag Stud-bred ESI Rocky (ISH) and Tyrone’s Niamh McEvoy riding the Dorothea Wilson-bred Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick (ISH).

Along with Tipperary’s Max Wachman with Quintini, the winning Irish team, managed by James Kernan, also included Clare’s Rhys Williams riding Playboy JT Z, and Mayo’s Ciaran Nallon with Fifty Shades Of Grey.

Seamus Hughes Kennedy became a double European champion when he took gold in the individual final.

Alison Corbally, Director General of the Irish Horse Board said: “This has been an amazing European Championships for Irish horses and riders and follows the incredible work done by breeders, owners, riders, coaches and parents, which resulted in an amazing overall medal haul.

“Huge congratulations to Tom and Max Wachman and to their parents on bringing home two team gold medals and an individual silver.

“It was a brilliant achievement by all our horses and riders,” she added.