RECENTLY honoured by L’Année Hippique, Geneva’s Indoor Cross-Country spectacular brings eventing into the spotlight and is the ideal warm-up to the prestigious IJRC Top 10 Final which follows.

Reigning champion Padraig McCarthy (Rosemaber Lancuest) returned to the Swiss venue as a hot favourite, along with compatriot Cathal Daniels (Alcatraz). Having taken the top two places in Stuttgart a few weeks ago, both were determined to deliver. Second to face the 1,800m course of more than 30 jumping efforts, McCarthy set the target of 166.08 seconds. In hot contention following their late Tokyo 2020 qualification at Boekelo in October, home riders Tiziana Realini (Toubleu de Rueire) and Robin Godel (Grandeur de Lully CH) came close but had to settle for eventual fourth and fifth placings.

Last but one into the ring, Daniels and Alcatraz came to Geneva on the back of an elimination in Paris the previous weekend. Overcoming some nervous moments in the early stages, the European bronze medallist and the Sarah Hughes-owned gelding accelerated into the second half of the track and stopped the clock at 163.54. 2017 champion Karim Laghouag (FRA) was the only rider that could deny an Irish one-two. Posting a blistering time of 154.06 with Punch de l´Esques, the French rider fell foul of a scoring format that penalises riders for finishing on either side of the optimum time (160 seconds), meaning that after some momentary confusion, Daniels was confirmed the victor with Padraig McCarthy settling for third place.

The Kildare-based rider is now likely to bring the curtain down on his record season by heading to Liverpool International Horse Show as a wild-card entrant for their inaugural indoor eventing feature.

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Derwin and Allen placed

YOUNG riders were very much to the fore at CHI Geneva and the introduction of CSIU25 classes brought a new dimension to the five star show. Athlone’s European Junior champion Kate Derwin finished just outside the podium places in Thursday’s opener but a determined jump-off performance with Deep Pockets in the Grand Prix des Espoirs saw her secure a runner-up placing, just 0.16 second behind Coco Fath (USA) (Exotik Sitte).

“To be stabled next to the likes of Marcus Ehning and people you’ve looked up to your whole life is incredible,” said Derwin. “Jumping for decent prize money and Longines Ranking points is so important – we need to have more opportunities like this!”

Also making his first trip to the Swiss venue, Wexford’s Harry Allen (Dancing Queen Z) secured his second top-four placing of the week in the 30,000 CHF finale.