RIDERS recently named to Ireland’s show jumping squad ahead of the FEI World Championships in Aachen next month showed the kind of form which justified their selection at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Riesenbeck last weekend. Cian O’Connor, Bertram Allen and the travelling reserve Denis Lynch all earned top-four placings at the five-star German show.

Bertram Allen made a positive start to Saturday’s sport for Ireland when he finished second in the five-star 1.60m Kingsland Trophy GCL Individual Competition with the Aachen-bound Qonquest De Rigo. Laura Kraut and Baloutinue set an early target of a clear round in 71.29 seconds, and this proved unassailable for the rest of the field. Jumping 24th of the 27 combinations in the class, Allen and Aloga Stables Ltd’s 10-year-old bay gelding provided the last of six clear rounds but, crossing the finish line in 72.55, had to settle for second place and €16,000.