Judy Reynolds has qualified for Friday’s Grand Prix Special at the World Equestrian Games in North Carolina following the completion of the second stage of riders tonight.

Reynolds and Vancouver K scored 71.957% in Wednesday’s opening stage and had to wait for tonight’s second phase of riders before knowing if her score would see her progress to the Special. In the end she was comfortably inside the cut in 26th place.

Tonight’s second stage completed the team medals with Germany emphatically taking gold, while Laura Graves and Verdades swung the silver medal the way of the USA after a close fought affair with Great Britain and Sweden who finished third and fourth respectively.

The Special gets underway at 3.30pm (Irish time) and if out of the medals in the event the Kildare rider could earn another medal chance in the Freestyle on Sunday if she can finish in Friday’s top fifteen.

The Irish Eventing team began the first of four days of competition today with Sam Watson and Cathal Daniels completing the first half of Ireland’s team effort in dressage.

Watson and Horseware Ardagh Highlight posted a score of 35.5 before Daniels registered 34.0 with Rioghan Rua. Watson lies 26th in the half-way standings while Daniels occupies 22nd. The Irish team were in provisional twelfth overall of the sixteen countries.

Friday will see the third and fourth riders for each team joining the action. Padraig McCarthy will ride Mr Chunky for Ireland, with Sarah Ennis partnering Horseware Stellor Rebound.

Patricia Ryan will compete in the individual competition on Dunrath Eclipse. The action gets underway at 2pm Irish time.

The cross country phase takes place on Saturday before show jumping completes the eventing competition on Sunday.

Mike Dunne