WHILE Irish eyes were mainly on the international show jumping at Dublin Horse Show over the weekend, there were Irish representatives at other shows, including at the Longines Global Champions Tour in London, held at the historic Royal Hospital Chelsea, which hosted two-star and five-star classes.

Kildare’s Sean Monaghan finished best of the Irish contingent in the UK capital, claiming the top spot in the two-star 1.30m Hyde Park Stables Trophy jump-off class on Saturday, when he steered the talented eight-year-old gelding Tiberio della Caccia to a double clear round in a jump-off time of 29.93 seconds on their first time to compete at the show. That was just over a second and a half ahead of next best, South Africa’s Holly Samantha Cox on Jinocentia Eickenrode, who finished in a time of 31.32; Brazil’s Manuela de Freitas Barbosa Saboya Lolli riding Queena completed the podium in third. Alice Wachman rode Thijssen Sr Z into fifth place in the class, followed by Ciaran Nallon on Ogana Sitte SR in ninth.

Afterwards, Monaghan said of his mount: “He’s a big horse, touching around 17hh, and he’s been incredible all his life - I’ve had him from the start. He would’ve been a very good stallion! It was a nice track, there was nothing too hard to catch them out, but the jump-off was difficult. The turn to the planks was hard and the double came up quick. But you can ask my guy to do anything and I’m willing to take that chance.”

The win clearly meant a lot to the Irish man, who said: “Very happy! It’s my first time riding here in London. It’s a good experience for both myself and my horse!”

Kukuk magic

Meanwhile, the five-star classes attracted some very well-known names and Sunday’s sold-out LGCT Grand Prix of London was won by Germany’s Christian Kukuk on Checker 47, who have booked their golden ticket to the 2025 LGCT Super Grand Prix.

Kukuk and his well-known equine partner were runners-up in the class last year and the pair showed their skill to go one better this time to take the win – their first Grand Prix win together since the LGCT Super Grand Prix in Riyadh last year.

Britain’s Ben Maher, who has previously won the class twice (2013, 2019), and the 11-year-old Point Break made a valiant challenge for the Grand Prix honours, but despite taking the lead by a huge margin of 5.3 seconds at that point in the jump-off, they weren’t quite fast enough to beat Kukuk.

Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels and his new mount, the 12-year-old stallion Chacco’s Lando OL, took third place with the only other double clear round – on their first LGCT appearance together and at only their third show.

On Friday, Maher had been on the top of the podium when he and Daniel Deusser took victory for their Shanghai Swans team in the Global Champions league team event - their third victory of the season so far. Deusser on Gangster v/h Noddevelt and Ben Maher with Point Break stayed cool under pressure to finish on a score of eight faults.

British native Maher, said of his hometown advantage: “We don’t get too many chances, here, to ride at home, so it’s always great for me [and] to have all my family here this week. This is very close to home, a great city, and a great start to the week - thank you to Daniel [Deusser]!”

Deusser commented: “Of course, in the situation today, when we are last to go in, I’m first to jump, and there’s only one rider left, then it’s very good to have someone like Ben behind us. The pressure is high, you have to jump clear or four, and to have Point Break and Ben as the last rider to go is for sure an advantage.”

The Basel Cosmopolitans were in 16th place after the first round, but made a huge jump up the placings to finish in second place, while the Mexican Amigos powered by H5 Stables rose from 11th place to finish third.

In the ribbons

The Longines Global Champions Tour of London fixture hosted two-star classes, as well as the five-star contests and ran from Friday, August 8th until Sunday, August 10th. Friday kicked off with a two-star 1.15m two-phase special class, which saw Ireland’s Aisling Byrne riding Celeste Spb Z into the runner-up spot. Their double clear in a time of 32.79 seconds was only bettered by Grace Wallace (GBR) on Ilena vd Bisschop (31.65).

Saturday saw Irish rider Ciaran Nallon on Serendepety finish sixth in the two-star 1.45m speed class, with a clear round in 65.75. The win went to an ultra-fast George Whitaker (GBR) on Peanut, who stopped the clock in 61.25, more than three and a half seconds ahead of nearest rival Tallulah Mackenzie Smith on Coyotte Pommex Z (64.86) in second. Meanwhile, in the day’s 1.15m jump-off class, Byrne and Celeste Spb Z again claimed second place.

Nallon and Serendepety finished on the podium in Sunday’s two-star 1.45m Grand Prix when they placed third from a start list of 32.

Only five combinations jumped clear in the first round to book a place in the jump-off, where just two were able to keep a clean sheet on their second attempt. Nallon was the fastest against the clock in 40.48 seconds, but a pole on the ground meant he was the fastest four-faulter. Monaghan and Tiberio della Caccia placed eighth in the class.