THE Irish eventing team is in fifth place at the conclusion of dressage at the FEI Eventing Nations Cup final in Boekelo, The Netherlands on Friday afternoon.

Susie Berry is best of the Irish with Strangford, a nine-year-old ISH by Luidam, bred by Dorothea Wilson and owned by Sue Wilkinson. They rode a smooth clear round test and finished with a score of 28 to sit in 17th overnight.

Next best in 31st place is Godfrey Gibbons with his mother Marie Dunne’s Kilnamac Kasu (Kannan x Cruising). The nine-year-old gelding, bred by James J Ryan, scored 30.2 and they are just ahead of Padraig McCarthy aboard Diane Brunsden and Peter Cattell’s nine-year-old chesnut gelding Kilroe Tiger (Hyoe x Master Imp), bred by Christopher O’Sullivan, who sit 32nd on 30.4.

Elizabeth Power and Dassett Fortune (Diarado x Golden River), owned by Therese Miller and bred by Marie Moloney, ended the first phase on 33.5 to sit in 59th.

The British team of Yasmin Ingham, Katie Magee, Kirsty Chabert and Gemma Stevens lead the way on 78.8 penalties, ahead of Germany (79.1) in second and USA in third on 84. France are just off the podium on 87.6, ahead of Ireland (88.6).