IRISH riders have made a solid start to the 2017/2018 Longines FEI World Cup indoor season, with Wexford’s Bertram Allen finishing sixth just ahead of Co Louth’s Mark McAuley in seventh in Sunday's opening round at Oslo in Norway.

The Irish duo were among seven combinations who made it into the jump-off, with McAuley drawn second to go against the clock. He lowered a single fence with the Eva Lundin-owned 13-year-old gelding Miebello.

Bertram Allen was last to go with the nine-year-old gelding Izzy by Picobello but also picked up four faults when chasing the target time.

Victory went to Germany’s Daniel Deusser after a clear round in 36.83 with Cornet, ahead of Kevin Staut (FRA) in second with For Joy van’t Zorgvliet HDC (36.96) and Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander in third with California (38.22).

The result gives Bertram Allen 11 points and Mark McAuley 10 points on the Longines World Cup league table ahead of next weekend’s second round of the series at Helsinki in Finland.

The Longines FEI World Cup Western European league features 13 rounds of jumping before the final which takes place in Paris in April.

PONY GRAND PRIX

Meanwhile, at Chevenez in Switzerland, Cork’s Abbie Sweetnam led an Irish domination of the 1m30 Pony Grand Prix, taking victory with the Barra Sweetnam-owned Dynamite Spartacus.

After winning the Pony Nations Cup at the same venue on Friday, Irish riders continued their excellent form, with Co Down’s Charlotte Houston taking runner-up spot aboard Lea Du Genier.

Four combinations jumped clear in the jump-off including Tipperary’s Max Wachman who finished fourth with Flintstone B, while Athlone’s Kate Derwin finished fifth with the Connemara pony Cul Ban Mistress.

In the Junior Grand Prix, Harry Allen finished as runner-up with EH Quick Nina, while the Children On Horses Grand Prix saw Max Wachman finish third riding Cesha.