EQUESTRIAN SPORT:IRELAND WILL continue to compete in the top rank of show jumping nations next year thanks to the team's fourth-place finish in yesterday's final round of the Samsung Super League in Barcelona.

Anchorman Cian O'Connor and Aileen Bryan's gelding Rancorrado produced the best result, with a clear round and just one fence down second time out, the team ending on a combined score of 21 faults. With just four faults, Germany won yesterday afternoon's finale and the league in which Ireland finished fifth. Team manager Robert Splaine said afterwards: "The performance from the lads was outstanding. We came here under pressure, as a bad result could have ended in relegation from the Super League."

At the international horse trials at Necarne Castle, Co Fermanagh, Britain's Matthew Wright finished first and second in the CCI** on Caunton Welldone and Hugginstown. The one-star class was landed by Co Meath-based Alex Kinsella on Lady Carmen.