With 13 penalties on the board at the halfway stage of the Swedish Nations’ Cup in Falsterbo today (Friday), Robert Splaine’s Irish show jumping team will be hoping for an improved performance when the second round gets underway shortly.

A sole single round from Anthony Condon and Aristio was the only gleam of light in a first round peppered with faults.

Opener Shane Sweetnam and Chaqui Z picked up eight jumping faults and one time fault, as did second man in, Darragh Kenny with Go Easy de Muze. Condon and Aristio lifted Irish hopes with a superb clear round, but experienced anchorman Shane Breen and Golden Hawk had an unlucky fence down for four faults.

The 13 fault team tally left Ireland at the bottom of the table with the Czech Republic, while three teams – Sweden, Switzerland and Brazil – shared the top of the scoreboard on zero penalty scores.

Falsterbo is Ireland’s last point-scoring competition in the Furusiyya league before the Dublin Horse Show’s Aga Khan competition in a fortnight’s time.