TWELVE Irish show jumpers are ranked in the world’s top 100 in the latest Longines FEI World Rankings released this week.

As has been for the last 12 months, under the Covid-19 policy for the rankings, the results counted are from the period of March 1st 2019 to March 31st 2021. Darragh Kenny remains the highest ranked Irish rider in the world in ninth place. He entered the top 10 in November 2019 and has stayed there since and a three-star Grand Prix win at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in March will rack up additional points.

Shane Sweetnam has climbed five places to number 26. Sweetnam described the 2021 WEF circuit as “probably his best ever” after he won his first five-star Grand Prix, among multiple other top results. Denis Lynch is up two places to 29, while Bertram Allen, another to win a five-star Grand Prix in Florida, is up one place to be ranked 35th.

Limerick’s Paul O’Shea is ranked 39th, with Derry’s Daniel Coyle also inside the top 50 in 44th. Among the 12 Irish riders inside the top 100, Cian O’Connor has made the biggest gain, moving up a massive 49 places to 74th. O’Connor also recorded multiple top results in Florida, including a podium finish in a five-star Grand Prix.

Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat remains the world number one, but the gap is closing, after Germany’s Daniel Deusser has moved up to number two, just 25 points behind Guerdat. Deusser’s form in Wellington has been remarkable; he won two four-star Grands Prix and the feature $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix during week 11. He has knocked current European champion, Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs, down to third place.

The eventing and dressage world rankings remain largely unchanged after a period of limited competition activity. Galway’s Cathal Daniels remains Ireland’s top-ranked eventing rider in 14th, while Kildare’s Judy Reynolds is Ireland’s highest-placed dressage rider in 22nd place.

Britain’s Oliver Townend is the eventing world number one, just four points ahead of New Zealand’s Tim Price, while Piggy March is ranked number three. Germany’s Isabell Werth dominates the dressage rankings, which are done on a horse/rider combination. Werth leads the way with Bella Rose 2 and is ranked second with Weihegold OLD.