AN all-Irish cast saw the New York Empire team claiming first place in the Global Champions League Team competition in Rome on Saturday.
The first GCL team competition of the day, a 1.60m speed class, saw New York Empire taking the lead, when first-round riders Denis Lynch on the 11-year-old skewbald gelding Ping Pong van de Lentamel and Michael Pender on his home-bred Irish Sport Horse Madgeslane Louis (Luidam x Madges Lane Karol by Obos Quality 004, bred by Michael Pender) both recorded clear rounds. With the only zero score, New York Empire went into first place, with Pender and Lynch going into 10th and 11th places respectively as individuals.
The GCL second competition was a 1.55m speed class and Lynch rode again, but this time on Chicago, while Bertram Allen completed the team with the Irish Sport Horse Pacino Amiro (Pacino x Carnone Dancing Queen by NC Amiro, bred by Simon Scott, Co Donegal). Both completed clear rounds, giving Georgina Bloomberg’s team the only zero score of the competition and handing the win to the Irish men.
Harry Allen rode a lovely clear with Edison de Hus for the Basel Cosmoplitans, but despite placing fifth individually, a disqualification of a teammate led to the team’s elimination. Bertram Allen placed sixth, with Lynch on his second mount in ninth.
Special
Lynch said afterwards: “As a team, we agreed that it was our goal for the season (to win), and we are absolutely delighted that we are heading along the right path. I must say thanks to my teammates, all our horses and staff, and of course a big thanks again to our team owner, Georgina Bloomberg, for her continued trust in the team.”
“What a great day for New York Empire,” Allen added. “Winning in Rome is always special, but to do it with four clear rounds makes it even better. The whole team has done an incredible job, and Denis and Michael really set us up perfectly in the first round, so I knew I just had to go in and finish the job.
“Pacino Amiro jumped brilliantly, and it’s a fantastic feeling to get this result for Georgina and everyone involved. With just two stages left, these points are really valuable. Hopefully, we can carry this momentum into Cairo and finish the season on a high.”
Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro were on the winning New York Empire team at the Global Champions League Team competition in Rome \ LGCT
The win in Rome moves the New York Empire team to third in the overall standings on 215 points, behind Riesenbeck International in first on 267 and Istanbul Warriors in second on 222. There are two legs still to go, with Cairo next, followed by Rabat.
Irish successes
The Longines Global Champions Tour of Rome saw a number of Irish successes over the weekend.
The GCL Individual Competition on Friday, a 1.60m speed class, saw Harry Allen finish on the podium in third with Edison de Hus. There were 19 starters in the class and seven of them kept all the poles intact - Allen doing so in a time of 73.46. He finished behind winner Kristen Vanderveen (USA) on Bull Run’s Jireh in 69.08 and runner-up Riccardo Pisani (ITA) on Chacco’s Lawito PS (71.97).
Joanne Sloan Allen placed ninth of 29 starters in Friday’s two-star 1.25m two-phase special riding Liana. The pair went on to place eighth in Saturday’s 29-strong two-star 1.30m speed class. Meanwhile, Joanne’s daughter Arielle Allen rode Don Diarado 4 into fifth place in the day’s 21-strong two-star 1.20m speed class.
Saturday’s two-star 1.45m speed class saw Isabel O’Brien place fifth with Thomascourt Victor from a start list of 23.
Ciaran Nallon came out on top of Sunday’s five-star 1.45m speed class, when he rode Christians Carado into first place from 35 starters, with a clear round in 58.67 seconds, more than a second ahead of runner-up Sanne Thijssen (NED) on Farah Z in 58.83. There were 11 clear rounds in the class.
Lynch continued his consistent run of form in the Longines Global Champions Tour 1.60m Grand Prix of Rome, when he rode Ping Pong van de Lentamel into fifth place.
A start list of 40 was reduced to just seven for the jump-off, with only three managing to jump clear for a second time to claim the podium places.
Lynch picked up four faults in the decider, when just rubbing the penultimate fence, but still pocketed a pleasing €18,516 for fifth place.
It was a Belgian one-two, with Abdel Said on Wathnan Quaker Brimbelles Z winning the class, ahead of Pieter Devos on Casual DV Z in second place. Anastasia Nielsen (MON) rode the Irish Sport Horse gelding ESI Rocky into seventh place.
Lynch is now fourth in the overall standings on 196.5 points, with Abdel Said (BEL) in the lead on 241.