TIPPERARY’S Denis Lynch once again showed his consistency at the top level of the sport with a runner-up finish in the 1.60m Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Riyadh on Saturday. Lynch was among 40 starters, including some of the most successful combinations in international show jumping at present, 11 of whom jumped clear in the first round to earn a place in the timed decider. The shortened course proved tricky enough and just six kept all the poles in place second time out.

In a nail-biting jump-off, Lynch and the 16-year-old stallion Cordial stopped the clock in 43.66 seconds to hold the lead until the very last combination entered the arena. A determined Jana Wargers (GER) on the 16-year-old mare Dorette OLD was out for the win and jumped fault-free in a very fast time of 41.71 to claim the top prize of €168,300.

Lynch had to settle for second place and the generous prize of €102,000. The third place on the podium went to Gilles Thomas (BEL) riding the 11-year-old stallion Ermitage Kalone, who jumped clear in 43.99 to take home €76,500.

Michael Pender and HHS Los Angeles were among the four-faulters in round one and, as such, were denied a place in the jump-off to finish 15th overall.

This was Lynch’s second LGCT Grand Prix podium finish in-a-row and, following this 16th leg of the tour, Lynch moved up to fourth place in the final overall standings for 2025, for a prize of €76,000. The overall title went to Gilles Thomas who is the youngest-ever (27) champion and he was presented with a very pleasing €294,500 for his efforts.

Lynch said: “I’m absolutely delighted with Cordial. It’s a credit to my team at home, especially my daughter (Sarah), who’s done amazing work with that horse over the last 12 months and we’re just really, really happy with the way he went today.”

The Longines Global Champions Tour moved to Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for three days of top-class competition over the weekend. Lynch partnered Brooklyn Heights to place sixth in Saturday’s 20-strong five-star 1.45m speed class, where 12 combinations kept the fences intact. Lynch’s time of 55.73 was good enough to earn him €1,650 for sixth place, with Abdullah Alsharbatly (KSA) on Boeckmanns Lord Pezi Junior claiming a home win in a time of 53.08 for the €7,500 first prize.

Attention now turns to the GC Prague Playoffs (November 20th to 23rd), when LGCT Grand Prix winners go head-to-head in the €1.25 million Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix.