Duff shines on Austrian podium

THE 40-strong 1.40m Gold tour class at Wiener Neustadt on Thursday saw Meath’s Anna Duff finish on the podium when jumping clear in 63.28 with BEC Lenka for joint second place. Incredibly, Jur Vrieling (NED) on McAllister VDL stopped the clock in exactly the same time! They were only beaten by Sameh El Dahan (GBR) on the Irish Sport Horse mare WKD Balou Breeze, in a time of 60.77.

The three-star fixture at Wiener Neustadt in Austria ran from October 2nd until 5th and Duff was in the ribbons in several classes. She was among the joint winners in Thursday’s 1.15/1.20m young horse class with Lucius Look, when they jumped clear within the time allowed.

Duff then placed fourth in the 1.25m Bronze tour class riding TMS Pienaar to a clear round in 58.58. The class was won by Jolina Moser-Spitzenstatte (AUT) on Staphael II in a time of 54.48, with Peter Kopecky (SVK) on Ohlala Chica Bella and Denis Nielsen (GER) on Casablanca sharing second place when they both stopped the clock in 56.7 seconds.

Friday’s 1.15/1.20m young horse class saw another joint win for Duff and Lucius Look, while she claimed two top 10 placings in the 1.45m Gold tour class. She rode BEC Lenka into third place with a double clear in a jump-off time of 38.74 and also placed eighth with MC Crosskeys in 39.66. The class was won by Jur Vrieling (NED) on McAllister VDL in 37.45.

There was another top 10 finish for Duff in Sunday’s 1.50m Gold tour Grand Prix, when she rode MC Crosskeys into eighth place. A tough course saw only four clears in round one, only two of whom were able to repeat the feat second time out. Alex Opatrny (CZE) on Kapsones W took first place (34.66) with Eiken Sato (JPN) on Chadellano JRA in second (36.36).