KILDARE’s Judy Reynolds made history at Gothenburg in Sweden today (Sunday), when she scored a superb top 10 finish as the first Irish rider to compete at the Reem Acra Dressage World Cup Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Riding the Joe and Kathleen Reynolds-owned gelding Vancouver K, she produced an excellent score of 77.339% to finish in eighth place overall against the world’s top dressage riders.

The result caps an amazing few months for Reynolds, in which she broke several Irish dressage records on her way to booking a place for Ireland at the Olympic Games in Rio.

A packed Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg saw Dutch rider Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Flirt crowned the new Dressage World Cup champions, just edging out home favourite Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén from Sweden with Don Auriello.

Hans-Peter Minderhoud of the Netherlands scored his first ever victory in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final today, riding Glock’s Flirt to claim the trophy and €50,000 winner’s cheque in Gothenburg (SWE).

The 42-year-old, team gold and individual bronze medallistat last year’s FEI European Championships in Aachen (GER), gave it his all to earn a mark of 82.357 in front of a packed crowd in the Scandinavium Arena.

“It was really special for me,” Minderhoud said afterwards. “This was my sixth final and I’ve never been on the podium, although I was twice really close. I started off as a groom and it was always my dream to win it so it’s very emotional. The horse is almost like a dog, you can take him everywhere. He’s very sweet and always tries for you, he’s a really good boy!”

The win came at the expense of home crowd favourite Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfen, who finished just 0.928 per cent adrift with Don Auriello. Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the stallion Unee B, third-place finishers in Las Vegas (USA) 12 months ago, once again stood on the third step on the podium.

Minderhoud’s victory was the 13thDutch win in the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals, with Hans Peter’s partner Edward Gal winning the title six years ago on home ground in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

“It’s good we have one each now!” Minderhoud joked.

Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final– 1, Glock’s Flirt (Hans Peter Minderhoud), NED, 82.357 per cent; 2, Don Auriello (Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven), SWE, 81.429; 3, Unee BB (Jessica von Bredow-Werndl), GER, 80.464.

SHOW JUMPING

The World Cup Finals continue in Gothenbug on Monday, with Tipperary’s Denis Lynch carrying Irish hopes in the Show Jumping finale. Lynch climbed 12 places on the overall rankings following a runner-up finish with the stallion All Star 5 in the second day of competition on Saturday. He goes into the last round of jumping in joint 10th place overall, with reigning champion Steve Guerdat from Switzerland holding pole position.