Ireland's eventing team have surged into the overall lead ahead of the closing jumping phase in the final round of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup series.
Paris 2024 Olympians Susie Berry, Aoife Clark and Austin O'Connor as well as Rio 2016 participant Padraig McCarthy collectively shone in Saturday morning's cross country phase in Boekelo, Netherlands to ensure Ireland sit on a competition-leading score of 98.6.
Their efforts built on Friday's dressage phase and means the team are ahead of the USA who are in second on 103.1 and New Zealand third on 116.5.
"They were brilliant," said the Irish team's Chef d'Equipe Dag Albert.
"Aoife was second out of everyone to go out on course, which is very difficult, but we made a plan that she executed it perfectly and that gave us the impetus to go on from there.
"All four were brilliant - Susie clear inside the time and Padraig just a few seconds over, while Austin really dug in to get home.
"So obviously this is the position we would have liked to be in and we felt we could be in this position after some really solid, consistent dressage tests.
"But there's three days and three phases and we just need to keep it going now tomorrow and see it through but we’re very happy."
The final jumping phase will take place on Sunday.
