IRELAND’s Denis Lynch and All Star 5 put in a flawless jumping performance to finish fifth in the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final in Gothenburg, Sweden this afternoon.

The combination jumped an astonishing five consecutive clear rounds over three days of jumping.

The World Cup was won by reigning Olymypic champion and defending World Cup champion Steve Guerdat, riding Corbinian.

Having been in 22nd position after the opening speed class on Friday, Lynch climbed the leaderboard over each of the following four rounds and received a standing ovation from the Swedish crowd in the prize giving ceremony as the only pair not to touch a fence.

Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat retained the World Cup crown he won 12 months ago in Las Vegas, after he topped the standings with the 10-year-old gelding Corbinian.

Dutch rider Harrie Smolders finished as runner-up with Emerald, while Germany’s Daniel Deusser took the last spot on the podium with Cornet d’Amour.

Former World Cup winner, the 20-year-old Irish Sport Horse Flexible, finished with just one fence down in today’s final round and was by far the oldest horse in the competition with American rider Rich Fellers.

Irish show jumping manager Robert Spaine said: “These World Cup finals are a Championships at the very highest level and for Denis and All Star to jump five clear rounds this week was an outstanding performance.

"They are a combination who are clearly on-form and the ease at which they jumped these big World Cup courses was very impressive. To finish fifth is a brilliant result for Denis, his horse’s owners and for Ireland and he can probably count himself unlucky not to win after being the only pair not to knock a fence.”

The result caps a superb weekend for Irish equestrian sport, with a host of excellent results in Europe and in the USA.

DRESSAGE

Kildare’s Judy Reynolds made history at Gothenburg on Sunday, when she scored a top 10 finish as the first Irish rider to compete at the Reem Acra Dressage World Cup Finals.

OCALA

Meath-based Cian O’Connor collected $200,000 after a runner-up finish with the stallion Good Luck in the Great American Million Dollar Grand Prix at Ocala in Florida on Sunday night.

Also on Sunday, at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington Florida, Limerick’s Paul O’Shea finished third in the $86,000 Suncast Championship with NLF Favourite.

EVENTING

Earlier in France, the Irish eventing team got their preparations for the Olympic Games in Rio off to an excellent start when they finished third in the Fontainebleau Nations Cup.