Ireland's show jumpers continued their run of successes over the weekend, scoring yet another Nations Cup victory, this time in the Canadian round in Toronto on Saturday night, only a fortnight after their historic win in Washington.

Kevin Babington, a member of Ireland's European gold medal team in Holland this summer and declared leading international rider in New York last weekend for the third successive year, opened the batting for Ireland with a superb clear from the consistent Carling King.

Captain Gerry Flynn was looking certain to follow suit with Carraig Dubh, but a stop at the second last and a single time penalty left him on five faults as he came through the finish. That was speedily redressed by Cian O'Connor, who celebrates his 22nd birthday today, when he emulated Babington by returning faultless with Waterford Crystal.

Robert Splaine and Coolcorron Cool Diamond, who had played such an important role in the Washington success, didn't even complete their round as the stallion was clearly out of sorts and, with three on the floor, Splaine decided to call it a day, leaving the Irish on five at the break.

The Mexicans were leading by a single fault at this stage, with America on eight in third and Canada fourth on nine, but while the Mexican threat evaporated in the second round to put them last of the quartet, Ireland, America and Canada all retained their half-time scores to stay in that order at the finish without having to call on their number four again. This second victory of the North American tour now puts Ireland fourth in the Samsung league as the series goes into its winter break.

And on the national circuit, Co Galway rider Tom Slattery was crowned The Irish Field league champion in Cavan last night, having dominated the series throughout the season. Notching up 100 league points with Michael McKeigue's brilliant stallion Coille Mor Hill, Slattery put himself well beyond the reach of his rivals to clinch the league series for the third year in a row.