 Pippa Funnell claimed individual bronze |
Great Britain won their fifth straight title in the European Eventing Championships in Punchestown. France took the silver medal and Belgium the bronze.
Pippa Funnell, lying fifth overnight, clinched individual bronze with a clear round in the final show jumping.
Frenchman Nicolas Touzaint took the individual gold on Galan de Sauvagere, while Sweden's Linda Algotsson on Stand By Me finished second.
Funnell, winner of the individual title on the last two occasions, was without her top horse Supreme Rock, who is sidelined with a minor leg injury.
But she conjured a terrific performance from the much less experienced Walk On Star to lead the depleted British team to the winner's rostrum.
Britain's win came despite losing Jeannette Brakewell, who had a fall with Over To You in the cross-country.
Leslie Law and Shear l'Eau, the only pair to achieve the optimum cross-country time, both had their only fault at fence three in the show jumping.
William Fox-Pitt on Moon Man completed the winning team with two fences down, and ended the day in eighth.
Of the two British individual entries Mary King and King Solomon III fared best, taking fifth place, only five penalties behind Funnell.
Kristina Cook and Captain Christy, who incurred two refusals across country, were 37th of the 43 who completed the event.
The Irish team, also reduced to three riders after the cross-country, finished out of the medals in fourth but had the consolation of achieving qualification for next year's Olympic Games.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 