DERRY’S Jordan Coyle made his trip across the Atlantic worthwhile when he rode For Gold to win the five-star 1.50m Clipmyhorse.tv Tankard two-phase class at the Agria Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead, when the pair were best of the 53 starters.
Thirty-two combinations jumped clear in the first phase for their chance to jump again, with 18 managing to keep the fences intact in phase two. Coyle and his trusty steed jumped double clear and clocked a second-phase time of 26.64 seconds to secure the win, nearly a second and a half faster than his closest rival, Robert Whitaker (GBR) on Vermento (28.00), who had to settle for second place.
In a good showing for the Irish, Cian O’Connor placed third with Belvedere (28.11), followed very closely by Sean Monaghan on Tiberio Della Caccia in fourth (28.13).
A delighted Coyle said of For Gold, after their win: “He’s got the most unbelievable heart.
"He’s maybe not the most talented horse in the world, but by God, he wants to do it, and he loves to win as much as me.”
Trevor Breen and Konrad Obolensky won the 1.35m Winter Grades B & C Championship at Hickstead \ Hickstead
In the ribbons
Competition began at The All England Jumping Course at Hickstead on Wednesday, July 23, when Ireland’s Liam Hayes got off to a good start with BE Valencia, placing fifth in the 1.25m Winter Novice Championship.
Meanwhile, Trevor Breen rode the eight-year-old gelding Konrad Obolensky to win the 1.35m Winter Grades B & C Championship from a start list of 24, when the pair jumped double clear in a jump-off time of 42.44.
On Thursday, Enda Ivanoff and Nubalia DHF placed fourth in the Irish Horse Board Amateur Championship, when double clear in 33.23, while Anthony Condon placed sixth in the five-star 1.40m Brilliance Horse Auction Salver class with the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding LMD Marko.
The 47-strong five-star 1.45m Royal International Vase speed class saw Jordan Coyle finish eighth on the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Millview Cicero.
Thursday concluded with the 1.20m Eventers’ Challenge, which saw a great result for Irish-bred horses, who claimed the top three places. Gemma Stevens rode the nine-year-old gelding Cooley Park Muze (ISH) (Pollux de Muze Z (ZANG) x TJM Arc In The Park (ISH) by L’Arc de Triomphe (OLD)), bred by John Connolly, to win the class, with Alexander Bragg and the 13-year-old gelding Ardeo Premier (ISH) (Hold Up Premier (SF) x Playgirl (ISH) by Cruising (ISH)), bred by Michael Beattie, in second place. Third place went to Harry Horton riding the 10-year-old gelding Cooley With Ambition (Future Trend (OLD) x Janes Council (ISH) by Dow Jones Courcel (SF)), bred by Conal Reilly.
Nations Cup
Friday saw the Agria Nations Cup of Great Britain being held, with eight teams lining up to do battle. Horse Sport Ireland High Performance show jumping manager Michael Blake had selected Cian O’Connor with Canbella Blue PS, team debutant Sean Monaghan with Toyger, David Simpson with Pjotr van de Kruishoeve and Jordan Coyle with Chaccolino to represent Ireland on this occasion, with the team drawn third of the eight teams to jump.
In round one, O’Connor and Canbella Blue PS were the pathfinders for the Irish and finished on four faults. Next in for the boys in green was Sean Monaghan on Toyger, who overcame any first-time team nerves to jump a super clear round. Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve were next to go and also jumped clear, while anchorman Coyle and Chaccolino picked up an unlucky four faults to leave Ireland on a score of four at the halfway point and sharing the lead with Germany, also on four faults.
O’Connor collected eight faults in round two, with Monaghan picking up an unlucky four faults. Simpson equalled O’Connor’s eight faults, while Coyle incurred four, giving Ireland a score of 16 for the second round and 20 faults overall, putting them in fourth place at the finish.
Germany took the win on a final score of eight, with Britain in second on 12 and Belgium in third on 17. The next Nations Cup on the horizon will be at Dublin Horse Show next week, where the Aga Khan Trophy will be up for grabs.
Saturday saw Simpson ride Punch D’Anvers into seventh place in the one-star Young Horse consolation final with a double clear in 47.36, while Peter Moloney secured a podium position when third in the 1.50m Queen Elizabeth II Cup jump-off class on board Nielson with a double clear in 46.58.
The five-star 1.45m Speed Classic speed and handiness class saw Monaghan finish fourth with Tiberio Della Caccia, followed by Coyle in fifth with For Gold.
Sunday’s concluding Al Shira’aa King George V Gold Cup Grand Prix saw 46 combinations go to post, with only four jumping clear within the allocated time in the first round, to secure their place in the second. Coyle and Chaccolino were among these and a second clear round in 40.17 put them in third place at the finish. The win went to Robert Whitaker (GBR) on Vermento (38.88), with Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi (UAE) on Enjoy de la Mure slotting into second place. O’Connor and Canbella Blue PS took fifth place when a single time penalty meant they didn’t get into the jump-off.