Victories in Europe, Lynch Through to World Cup’s Final Day
Press release, written by Colin McClelland
IRISH riders collected four trophies in European shows over the last 36 hours, while at Gothenburg in Sweden, Denis Lynch and All Star 5 qualified for the final day of the Jumping World Cup Final.
This evening at Ebreichsdorf in Austria, Ireland’s Olympic medallist Cian O’Connor returned from his US winter tour to take victory in the Grand Prix Qualifier with the 11 year-old gelding Unique, romping home with almost five seconds in hand over Austrian runner-up Sascha Kainz and Timble des Chinos Chenes.
The previous night, 17 year-old Bertram Allen seized the Diamond Tour trophy at Ebreichsdorf on the mare Zenzation, with fellow Irish rider Jessica Kurten close behind in second place aboard API Largo. Allen, for good measure, also took fourth place in the competition with the mare Molly Malone V.
On Thursday, Tipperary’s Denis Lynch took the 1m50 jump off class at Gothenburg with Lantinus, echoing the previous night’s victory at the same venue by Cork’s Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon.
However, the two Irish riders at Gothenburg had mixed fortunes in the weekend’s major event, the FEI Rolex World Cup Jumping Final. After two qualifying competitions at the Swedish venue, only Lynch and All Star 5 made it through to the top 25 who will compete in Sunday’s last leg of the event. Sweetnam and Amaretto Darco had four faults in the opening class, as did Lynch, but then produced an uncharacteristic 12 faults today, ending with a penalty score that will put the 32 year-old out of contention for a place on Sunday’s startlist.
Category: International, News, Show Jumping
