ATHLONE’S Francis Derwin put on a great performance at the World Cup Show in Oslo, Norway at the weekend, when he won Saturday’s five-star 1.45m Agria Trophy jump-off class on board the 11-year-old mare Parvati AEG, after taking the runner-up spot in Friday’s five-star 1.50m speed class with Flexi K.
The 31 starters in Saturday’s contest produced nine first-round clears, with eight of them managing to keep all the fences standing second time out. Derwin and Parvati AEG stopped the clock in 36.71, just over a second and a half faster than runner-up Kevin Staut (FRA) on Croqsel de Blaignac (who had held the lead in 38.22), with Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) on Glamour Girl just a fraction behind in 38.23 for third.
In Friday’s 44-strong five-star 1.50m speed class, there were two Irish men on the podium when Derwin on the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Flexi K (Flex A Bill x Deeply Dippy K by Luidam, bred by Knightfield Stud, Co Kildare) took the runner-up berth when clear in 62.80 and Louth’s Mark McAuley on L’arc En Ciel Z placed third in 62.96. The Irish pair were only beaten by Koen Vereecke (BEL) on Merryweather Vt Leeuwerikenhof, who posted the fastest time of 62.50.
“I’m very happy with how the two horses are jumping,” Derwin commented after his successful weekend. “Flexi was very good in the Grand Prix qualifier. I was really happy with him and it was good to be second.
“Parvati was very good in the 1.45m jump-off class. I was really happy with her. It was a quick enough jump-off. I was last to go, so it was good to be able to know what I had to do and it was great to win.”
In the ribbons
Sunday’s five-star 1.50m Accumulator class saw Clare’s Eoin McMahon riding Florie de la Pierre into sixth place. From the 22 starters, seven managed to accumulate the maximum 44 points, with McMahon doing so in 49 seconds exactly. Emma Emanuelsson (SWE) on Dia Fina 3 recorded the fastest time of 41.48 to take the win.
The highlight of the show was the opening leg of the five-star 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League, which saw Max Kühner (AUT) on the 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding EIC Up Too Jacco Blue (Chacco Blue x Celestial Up Too by ARD VDL Douglas, bred by Mark Sherry, Co Wicklow) come out on top of a start list of 40.
Nine combinations jumped clear in round one to make it into the jump-off, where five completed double clear rounds. Kühner and his mount clocked the fastest time of 40.52, almost a second ahead of runner-up Harrie Smolders (NED) on Monaco in 41.51. Third place went to Martin Fuchs (SUI) and Fortjump du Beaumenil a whisker behind in 41.53. McMahon rode the 11-year-old mare Eleven into eighth place after picking up four faults in the jump-off.
As this is the first leg of the Western European League, the current overall standings reflect the class placings, with the next leg being held at Lyon, France on November 1st.
“It’s a very good feeling to start like that, of course, and it gives us a lot of motivation for the rest of the season,” Kühner commented. “Gothenburg is for sure somewhere we want to go. That’s our aim, to get there.”
Kühner said of the jump-off course: “There were quite a few long distances from two to three and then after the combination. On those long distances, I lost a little bit of speed with my horse, so I decided to add one stride there and then to catch it again in the next turn.
“Jacco really knew what I was asking him and did it very well [shaving almost a second off Smolders’ time], so I’m very pleased with my long-term partner today.
“We know each other. When he gives me that feeling, I know something can work out well, and I had it right from the beginning,” he concluded.