THE five-star World Cup Show at Mechelen in Belgium saw some pleasing results for the Irish participants, with a number of top 10 placings in both the Young Rider/Junior classes and the senior classes. Jessica Burke illustrated her consistency with two top 10 finishes at five-star level.
The five-star 1.55m Grand Prix on Monday, December 29th saw Burke ride the nine-year-old gelding Good Star du Bary into ninth place.
From a start list of 44, there were a perfect 10 combinations who jumped a clear first round to book their place in the timed decider, with just three managing to remain clear for a second time to claim the podium positions.
The win went to Petronella Andersson (SWE) on Odina van Klapscheut in a jump-off time of 36.50, ahead of Robert Murphy (GBR) on Hulde G in 36.97 in second and Daniel Deusser (GER) on Pepita van T Meulenhof BR a very close third in 37.00. Burke was among six combinations who picked up four faults in the jump-off and her time of 40.51 put her in ninth at the finish.
Burke claimed another top-10 placing at five-star level when she and Good Star du Bary placed ninth in the 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup class on Tuesday, December 30th. The class saw 40 combinations on the start list, but only five jumped the first round without fault. None of them were able to repeat the feat in the decider, with all five incurring four faults!
The fastest of these was Belgium’s Gilles Thomas on Qalista DN, who stopped the clock in 41.30 to take the win and the €82,500 first prize. Second place and €50,000 went to Marcus Westergren (SWE) on Airco de L Esprit Z in 42.34, while Germany’s Patrick Stuhlmeyer rode Baloutaire PS into third place in a time of 44.05 to collect €37,500. Burke took home €5,000 for her ninth place and she now sits in 19th position in the Western European League standings following the seventh leg in Mechelen, with Denis Lynch not far behind in 25th.
Top 10
Coen Williams secured a top-10 finish with Ibiza du Barquet in the 25-strong 1.35m two-phase special class for Young Riders and Juniors on Friday, December 26th. The pair jumped clear in the first phase, but picked up four faults in the second to finish in 10th place. The class saw a Belgian one-two, with Seppe Wouters on Honolulu des Forets taking first place with a double clear in a phase two time of 26.67 seconds, followed by Louis Lambrecht on Lady O (27.27).
Meanwhile, in the five-star 1.45m speed class on Monday, December 29th, Ireland’s Thomas Ryan rode Million’s Grey into 10th place, with a clear round in 77.88. It was a home win for Belgian rider Koen Vereecke on Oilily de Muze, who jumped clear in a speedy 64.20. There were 36 starters in the class, with 10 of them keeping all the poles intact.