Ireland’s Susan Fitzpatrick claimed a decisive victory in the individual Jumping final at the FEI European Pony Championships in Arezzo, Italy today. Riding Rock Dee Jay, the 11-year-old gelding son of the great Arko lll, she produced one of just three double-clears on the final afternoon to take the gold, adding nothing to the four penalty points she carried into this last competition of the 2013 Championships.

It took a thrilling five-way jump-off to decide silver and bronze, and it was 2012 individual champion Millie Allen from Great Britain who claimed runner-up spot with Song Girl while Denmark’s Jessica Toelstang and Nikolina finishing third.

Toelstang held the lead going into the final day with a zero score followed by Ninon Castex from France (Quaber des Monceaux) carrying just a single penalty, while the eventual gold and silver medallists were amongst the group of eight pony-and-rider combinations who had four penalty points each at this stage. And Castex stayed out in front with another clear in today’s first round. Toelstang left a pole on the floor and so was sharing silver medal spot with Fitzpatrick and Allen as the second round began, with another five riders now tied for bronze spot on eight faults.

It was Fitzpatrick’s double-clear that clinched it for the 14-year-old rider from Kilkenny in Ireland. Allen hit the oxer at fence four second time out, while there was a gasp when Toelstang and her 16-year-old mare lowered the second fence which brought them both to an eight-fault tally. And there was heart-break for Castex who had already left a fence on the ground before her stallion got into a muddle in the triple combination and stopped at the last element. She circled and finished, but with nine faults on the board all her dreams of Championship glory had slipped away.

With the Irish girl now confirmed in gold medal spot, the five-way jump-off for silver and bronze began with a four-fault round from German team gold medallist Lars Volmer and his fabulous grey stallion Carrick 13. There were three of the British silver medal winning team still in contention, and Amy Inglis was first of these to take on the jump-off track, but the middle part of the double fell for four faults in 34.40 with Lea du Genier. Team-mate Emily Ward was next to go with King Mac and produced the first clear in 33.52, but Allen and Song Girl shave just under a second off that with a superb run and when Toelstang posted a clear in 33.28 that was good enough for the bronze.

Fitzpatrick thanked her trainer, Denis Flannelly, and all her back-up team. She was collecting Ireland’s fifth individual gold medal - the last won taken by Bertram Allen and Acapella Z in 2010. She admitted she had gold in her sights coming to these championship with Rock Dee Jay who twice earned team silver for Ireland with Max O’Reilly-Hyland in the saddle. “I did hope for gold, but it’s hard to believe I actually got it” Fitzpatrick said this evening.

Allen said she was quite happy about adding silver to her medal collection while Toelstang looked quietly stunned that she had managed to take the bronze - but it was well-earned.

Ground Jury Member, Lena Levidis from Greece, said “it was beautiful to see all these young people - so brave and with wonderful ponies. We’ve seen some great performances in all disciplines here this week and for me it was very nice to see Millie (Allen) on the podium again, I saw her at last year’s Championship. These are all great riders, and it is important for us to remember that they are the future of the sport - this is where our future champions come from” she pointed out, aptly bringing the sensation 2013 FEI European Pony Championships at Arezzo to a close.