THE first competition of the Global Champions Tour at Valkenswaard on Friday saw Cian O’Connor riding Gengis Kann de Londe to a podium place, finishing third (66.09) behind winner Alexa Ferrer (FRA) on Vitalhorse Fleur d’Oz (65.68) and runner-up Willem Greve (NED) on Highway Tn N.O.P. (66.05). It was tight at the top, with the first three stopping the clock within half a second of each other.
On Saturday, the one-star Young Horse six and seven-year-old class saw Denis Lynch take victory with Kilnamac Cody, stopping the clock in 60.27.
Lynch then placed fourth with Katja in the 19-strong five-star 1.45m two-phase class, jumping double clear with their second-phase time of 24.56 just over half a second off that of Swedish winner, Henrik von Eckermann on Qasirah van de Reistenhoek (24.04).
Lynch placed fourth again in the five-star 1.50m jump-off class, this time riding Brooklyn Heights to a double clear round in 43.82. The win went to Kevin Jochems (NED) riding the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse Shanroe Peeters (Dallas VDL (BWP) x Shanroe Sapphire (ISH) by Condios (HOLST)), bred by Anthony Smyth in Co Down, who stopped the clock in 42.38.
In the two-star 1.40m Medium Tour class, Lynch rode Mr Newman into seventh place in a time of 67 exactly.
Sunday’s one-star Grand Prix saw O’Connor place fourth with Maple Leaf, when they jumped double clear in 40.44, while the one-star Young Horse six and seven-year-old final was won by Bertram Allen on New Light.
The 1.60m Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Valkenswaard proved challenging and, of the 40 starters, only two jumped clear rounds to ensure a jump-off. Harrie Smolders (NED) jumped the only double clear of the class with Monaco to take the win, with Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) on Katanga v/h Dingeshof in second place. O’Connor and Iron Man placed sixth after faults in round one precluded them from the jump-off.
In the two-star 1.45m Grand Prix, Max Wachman on The Kerryman placed fifth, while Lynch and Katja secured another fourth-place finish in the five-star 1.45m speed class. Lynch was then runner-up in the two-star 1.40m Medium Tour class on Mr Newman. Helen Gould on Khaleeshi took fourth place in the one-star 1.25m jump-off class.
Azelhof
Meanwhile, at the Azelhof Summer Festival in Belgium, Thomas Ryan took a three-star 1.45m win with Connoisseur PWF (38.85), just a fraction ahead of Billy Twomey on Jumping Jack de Kalevallei (38.88). Arielle Allen won a one-star 1.10m class at the show.