A mixed week for Irish show jumping concluded with a win in Sunday’s featured $145,000 class at the five-star show in Langley, Canada for Co Derry’s Daniel Coyle.
The 24-year-old was one of five riders from a field of 40 who progressed to the jump-off of the two-round class which was the first leg in the North American league of the 2019-2020 Longines FEI World Cup season.
Riding Ariel Grange’s nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Farrel, Coyle recorded the faster of two clears when stopping the clock on 37.32. The USA’s Kelli Cruciotti (22) finished second on Hadja van Orshof (42.26) while, with a fence down in the timed round, The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders was third on Hocus Pocus de Muze (37.41).
“In the jump-off, usually he jumps better, which is strange, but when you start galloping, he starts to look a little quicker and jump a little higher,” said Coyle of Farrel. “I know that from the last few years that I’ve had him. That third jump did come down a lot, and I really rode him at it, and he jumped it probably as good as he could that second time. When you know them a little more, it’s a lot easier, especially when they’re younger jumping this level.”
Earlier in the day, in Europe, Mayo’s Alex Duffy produced the only double clear to win Sunday’s 1.55m Grand Prix at the three-star show in Verbier, Switzerland on the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding FTS Elliot which is owned by Nicola Fitzgibbon and Niall Talbot.
Following the withdrawal of Peter Moloney (Chianti’s Champion) and Darragh Kenny (Balou du Reventon), there was no Irish interest in the individual competition at the European show jumping championships in Rotterdam.
The gold medal went to Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs who, with a time fault in the final round on Clooney 51, completed on a score of 4.46. Disappointingly for Ben Maher, who had led going into the finale, Explosion W lowered the second last fence to drop the British rider into the silver medal position (4.62) with Belgium’s Jos Verlooy taking the bronze on Igor (6.68).
In eventing, the international in Millstreet, Co Cork concluded on Sunday when Ireland’s best result in the CCI4*-L class came from Co Down’s Joseph Murphy who finished fourth with the 18-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Sportsfield Othello (38.7 penalties). The 26-strong class was won by Australia’s Chris Burton on Lawtown Chloe (28.8).
Britain’s Georgia Bartlett, who was competing in Ireland for the first time, won the three-star long format class on Spano de Nazca (34.6) with her compatriot, Harry Meade, finishing second and third on Gideon (37.4) and Red Kite (37.5). Here, Co Meath’s Michael McNally, who missed much of the season through injury, was best of the Irish in fourth with Eclipto (37.9).
British riders also filled the top three placings in the CCI4*-Sl, topped by Izzy Taylor riding Fonbherna Lancer (29.1 penalties). Here, Devon-based Padraig McCarthy fared best of the Irish when placing sixth on Mark Todd’s former ride, Leonidas II (39).
At similar level, the Event Rider Masters class was won by Australia’s Lucy Jackson on Superstition (27.2) with Carlow’s Sam Watson finishing a close-up second on the 13-year-old Puissance gelding, Imperial Sky (27.5). Britain’s Alexander Bragg was third on Zagreb (28.2), just ahead of Co Meath’s Sarah Ennis on Horseware Stellor Rebound (28.6) which was having his first eventing start since being on Ireland’s silver medal-winning team at last September’s World Equestrian Games in the USA.
Ennis and Watson along with fellow WEG team silver medallist Cathal Daniels plus Ciaran Glynn and Tony Kennedy are next heading to Lehmühlen in Germany for the European eventing championships which commence with the first horse inspection on Wednesday.
Back at Millstreet, there was a great result for young Co Down rider Daniel Brown when he finished third in the CCI3*-S on his mother Maureen’s seven-year-old Irish Sport horse mare, Fleur de Lis (30.5). The 65-runner class was won by Australia’s Kevin McNab riding the ISH gelding Fernhill Tabasco (26.6) with Britain’s Millie Dumas placing second on the ISH mare Universal Cooley (30).
