THERE must have been great celebrations in Galway, as well as in Bordeaux, France, on Saturday, as Jessica Burke took an incredible win in the five-star 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup class riding the French-bred 10-year-old gelding Good Star du Bary. The four-day five-star World Cup fixture in Bordeaux ran from Thursday through until Sunday and hosted the 11th leg of 13 in the Western European League.

The World Cup class saw a start list of 35, but these were quickly whittled down to just four, who managed to jump clear within the time allowed around the testing 13-obstacle track in round one to book a place in the jump-off. Burke was one of these and she had the benefit of being last to go against the clock.

Course designer Yann Royant had no intention of making it easy for the four in the decider and his course provided a World Cup-level challenge. The first three to go each picked up four faults - 34-year-old Burke knew that all she had to do was to keep the fences standing... No mean feat under the pressure of World Cup competition.

But she did it. She kept her cool and, along with her talented mount, they jumped a super clear round in a time of 42.40 seconds - the only double clear in the class - to take the win and the €69,000 top prize. Burke made history as she is the first female athlete to win the Bordeaux title.

Runner-up berth

Germany’s Daniel Deusser had to settle for the runner-up berth on the podium with Otello de Guldenboom with four faults in 35.72, while his fellow countryman, Tom Schewe placed third with Congress Blue PS (four faults, 38.00). The fourth combination in the jump-off, Yuri Mansur (BRA) on Vitiki, took fourth place (four faults, 38.93).

It was an emotional win for Burke, who has been show jumping full-time for just over seven years, having previously been a maths teacher. It was particularly special as Liam Nicholas, who owns Good Star du Bary, was there celebrating his 60th birthday with his family and witnessed the win in Bordeaux, along with some of Burke’s family and friends.

“It’s my first World Cup and my first five-star win,” Burke said on FEI TV afterwards.

“My horse is only 10, but he has just six World Cups now. Five times (he had) one down, but today we were clear. To have patience and wait for your day to come is very hard, so the fact that it has come, I don’t think it has sunk in yet to be honest.

“Bordeaux is a lucky place for me. I was here only once before, two years ago, and I won leading rider. This horse has been so close all the time. I was hoping for a top-five finish, but I didn’t think I could win, so I’m delighted.

“He is just amazing, the best horse I have ever ridden. You watch him jump 1.30m and you would say that was all he can jump, but I always knew he could do anything and is just something special.

“His owner Liam [Nicholas], it’s his 60th birthday this weekend, he is here this weekend with all his family. A lot of my family are here and my best friend from school years ago, so it’s a bit emotional.

“I only have one horse at this level at the moment and, when it’s one very good one, he makes my life very easy. In the warm-up, he’s just relaxed and then he lights up with the crowd.”

Burke has moved to seventh place on the Western European League table following this win and has booked her place at the Longines FEI World Cup final, which is scheduled to be held at Fort Worth, Texas in April.

World Cup Finals

When asked if the World Cup Finals are now on her mind, Jessica replied: “Definitely. With today’s result, it looks like we will be able to go there. That was the plan, I really wanted to get my qualification for Texas, so yes, really looking forward to it.”

Irish Horse Board Director General Alison Corbally commented: “Massive congratulations to Jessica Burke and Good Star Du Bary’s owner Liam Nicholas on this fantastic World Cup win in Bordeaux. It was a brilliant performance and we wish them the very best of luck at the upcoming World Cup Finals.”

Sunday saw a runner-up finish for Tipperary’s Denis Lynch and the 11-year-old mare Katja in the 1.50m Accumulator class in Bordeaux. Of the 22 starters, 11 jumped clear to achieve the maximum points, with time being the deciding factor. Lynch stopped the clock in 49.68 seconds, which just couldn’t catch French rider Francois Xavier Boudant on Fee de Riverland, who managed to break the beams in 47.72 to take the top spot.