TYRONE’S Niamh McEvoy was the sole Irish rider to attend the four-star Morocco Royal Tour fixture at Tetouan in Morocco over the weekend - and what a weekend it was for her! McEvoy took four horses with her - three for the four-star classes, namely Jargon DN, Sevilla van de Berghoeve Z and Rock Warrior, as well as Rock’N’Roll Ter Putte for the two-star classes - and secured multiple wins and placings across the weekend.
Sunday saw great success for the 22-year-old, as McEvoy and the 12-year-old gelding Jargon DN were best of the 39 starters in the four-star 1.45m Winning Round class. Eleven clear rounds from round one booked their place in the ‘winning round’, where just three combinations remained without fault. McEvoy was best of these, jumping double clear in 42.86 - almost a second ahead of runner-up Lorenzo Argentano (ITA) on Dakota Blue Girl (43.71), with Mel Thijssen (NED) on Juice in third (44.49).
Later in the day, the highlight of the show was the four-star 1.50m World Cup Grand Prix, which saw 42 combinations lining up to compete for the generous prize fund. The best 11 pairs secured a chance to jump again, with four of them completing double clear rounds. McEvoy was among them, this time on board Sevilla van de Berghoeve Z, riding with speed and accuracy to stop the clock in 42.49 seconds and claim a podium place in third. Anthony Bourquard (SUI) on Fontaineblau Manciais took first place and €26,500 in 40.63, with Ioli Mytilineou (GRE) in second with Casanova Hastak DWB (41.18) for a €21,200 prize. McEvoy won €15,900 for third place.
But McEvoy wasn’t quite done yet. The concluding two-star 1.45m Grand Prix saw her ride the nine-year-old stallion Rock’N’Roll Ter Putte into another podium placing - this time claiming the runner-up spot from a starting field of 44. This class saw 17 combinations jumping clear in the first round to get through to the jump-off, where six jumped clear for a second time. McEvoy jumped yet another clear round, registering 40.91 on the clock, which was good enough for second place. Tom Schewe (GER) on Amanda Blue finished just over a second ahead to claim first place.
“I had a great week here with my four horses, who all jumped very well,” said McEvoy. “Jargon, in particular, finished third on Friday before winning today. For my first time competing in the Morocco Royal Tour, I’m really delighted: the facilities are excellent, the horses like the arena, and the courses have been very well designed all week.”
Niamh McEvoy and Sevilla van de Berghoeve Z won Saturday’s four-star 1.45m Prix Maroc Vert class and placed third in Sunday’s four-star 1.50m World Cup Grand Prix at the Morocco Royal Tour at Tetouan / Morocco Royal Tour
On form
Competition had kicked off on Thursday and saw McEvoy placing fifth with Jargon DN in the opening four-star 1.40m Prix Oued Draa class. From the 65 starters, there were 22 clear rounds, with McEvoy’s time of 67.60 being just over a second behind runner-up Lorenzo Argentano (ITA) on Dakota Blue Girl (66.31), but the clear winner was Ricardo Gil Santos (POR) on Gatsby Diamond, who stopped the clock in a very fast 62.87.
Friday saw McEvoy finish on the podium with Jargon DN, when they placed third in the 50-strong 1.45m Grand Prix qualifier. Seventeen combinations jumped clear rounds, with McEvoy’s time of 67.29 being within half a second of French winner Simon Delestre on Oh Sissi (66.81). Santiago Diaz Ortega (COL) slotted into second place, a fraction ahead of McEvoy in 67.23.
Saturday proved a winner for McEvoy when she steered the nine-year-old mare Sevilla van de Berghoeve Z to win the four-star 1.45m Prix Maroc Vert class, with one of only two clear rounds in the 19-competitor class. McEvoy’s time of 66.64 was almost two seconds ahead of runner-up Virginie Thonon (BEL) on Salerno van de Looise Heide, who clocked 68.52.
After this win, McEvoy commented: “This is my first time competing in the Morocco Royal Tour. The horses are [jumping] really well here, the facilities are incredible, and I love the course. I have four horses with me, and they are all in great shape. Sevilla is a really special mare, and I’m very happy with her. Today, the main goal was to have a good round, so I couldn’t have hoped for a better result.”
The young Irish athlete then steered Rock Warrior into sixth place in the day’s four-star 1.50m Prix Fete de L’Unite jump-off class from a start list of 30.
Just three combinations jumped clear in round one to get into the jump-off, with McEvoy picking up two time penalties, but still placing sixth. Yuri Mansur (BRA) won the class on Incanto VDL.