MAYO’s Jonathan Gordon got his 2021 season off to a good start when winning the two-star Grand Prix in Lier, Belgium, last Sunday.

Riding the incredibly consistent 10-year-old mare Dorotheental’s Classica, who is owned by his good supporters Christine and Theodor Räuber, Gordon was one of nine riders to navigate the first round of the 1.45m class fault free. In the jump-off, seven combinations produced clear rounds, with Gordon breaking the beam in 36.63 seconds to earn €6,425.

Almost a year to the day, the pair won the same Grand Prix at the venue, two weeks after winning a Grand Prix in Zuidbroek, which kick-started an excellent, albeit disrupted, 2020 campaign. They then won the two-star Grand Prix in Herlaze, Germany, in September and Gordon has high hopes for the mare. The Mayo native is based in Munster, Germany, where he runs his own business.

The Netherlands’ Sanne Thijssen finished second with Con Quidam RB (0/0 37.45), ahead of Italy’s Antonio Alfonso and Charmie in third (0/0 38.32).

Gordon finished fourth in Saturday’s 1.40m Table A aboard the 11-year-old mare Conchita, owned by Elisabeth Hoppe. They were one of nine double clears in 37.20 seconds to win €1,000. Victory went to Thijssen on this occasion.