HORSE OF THE YEAR

SHOW (SHOW JUMPING)

IRISH riders were well to the fore in most classes in the LG Arena at Birmingham’s Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), British-based Billy Twomey leading the charge with two international wins.

Twomey’s first victory came in the Suregrow Five Fence Challenge where Katrina Moore’s Royale Du Rouet scaled the heights to win the class.

The pair added to their ribbon haul with a sixth place in the Thistledown Stakes.

Following on from that win, Joe Flynn’s Ardcolum Duke was at the races all the way to take the top spot in the Vinopolis Speed Horse of the Year class.

The Gypsy Duke stallion never put a foot wrong all week and also finished at the business end of the line-up when claiming fourth in the inaugural Michael Mac Memorial competition.

Twomey also had Diaghilev on song, the son of Vangelis S finishing 12th in the Sky Sports Trophy.

It proved hard luck for Twomey in the final leading show jumper of the year Grand Prix as Diaghilev just nudged a back rail past the point of no return in the first round. However, their sharp time earned them ninth place.

“I was delighted with all the horses. Duke had a super win in a competitive class where there was no room for error, Royale was placed in all his classes, and Diaghilev was very unlucky to have a rail down in the Grand Prix,” said Twomey.

Also on a winning streak was Trevor Breen who opened with a very prestigious national win in the Addington Talent Seekers Championship.

Not only did Karen Swann’s Classic III show his rivals a clean pair of heels, but he took the award for the leading seven-year-old too.

Also proving in brilliant form was Adventure De Kannan (Addy) who stormed home to win the Grandstand Trophy.

Fences came thick and fast in the LG Arena and those who don’t know that Addy only has one eye would never suspect as Breen cut corners and angled fences all the way.

The pair again looked impressive in the final leading show jumper Grand Prix and they finished in the money in 11th place.

Addy will enjoy a well-deserved winter holiday with his owner when he returns to Ireland in a couple of weeks.

BREEN HAT-TRICK

It proved a busy week for Breen who was also placed eighth in the Michael Mac Memorial class riding Michael and Paschal Coffey’s Cruising stallion Oldtown KC.

“I was delighted to have three wins at such a prestigious show in Europe. It was the icing on the cake for having a phenomenal year. I’m so happy for Classic and Addy’s owners Karen Swann and Keith Barry and appreciate their long-term support,” said Breen.

Full marks to Cheshire-based Anthony Condon who had Kat Taylor’s Balzac peaking just at the right time to take good places in two of the most important National finals - the Newcomer and Foxhunter championships.

On the opening night, Condon and the Oklund eight-year-old narrowly missed out on a win in the Newcomer championship, the fast finishing pair only being denied victory by an all-or-nothing round by Nicole Pavitt (Tia Semilly).

“I used this class as a warm-up for the Foxhunter and didn’t go too fast so I was delighted to finish second to such a speedy pair,” said Condon, who again produced an economical and fluent clear from Balzac to finish fourth in the Foxhunter final.

“It was a tough track and there was only one double clear when we jumped and I did what I could. I couldn’t be more pleased for the horse and the owner,” concluded Condon.

Also in the ribbons in the Newcomer class was Richard Howley who finished sixth riding Westpoint Baros who produced the fastest time of all but at the expense of two rails down.

Bertram Allen received a great welcome every time he rode into the arena, the young rider rounding off a successful week riding Romanov in the leading show jumper of the year Grand Prix.

Allen produced a classic clear round to win through to the jump-off but two rails down in the final round dropped them down to fifth, the class was won by France’s Julian Epaillard who produced the only double clear riding Cristallo A LM.

Allen also finished 10th (to Trevor Breen) in the Grandstand Trophy riding Romanov, seventh in the Thistledown Stakes riding Wild Thing and equal fourth (to Billy Twomey) in the five-fence challenge with Belmonde.

David Simpson and Richi Rich III twice scaled the heights in the LG Arena and shared a four-way tie for first place in the Tagg Puissance where each of the top four faulted with the wall standing at 2.11 metres.

Simpson and Richi Rich also finished ninth (to Billy Twomey) in the daunting five-fence-challenge.

More ribbons followed for Simpson who finished sixth to Billy Twomey (Ardcolum Duke) in the speed horse of the year competition riding Arantos, and12th in the Horse Radar Stakes riding the same horse.