Irish show jumper on course for world title

Nineteen-year-old show jumper Bertram Allen is still on target to give Ireland its first World Cup title, lying in third place going into tomorrow's final competition in Las Vegas.

Irish show jumper on course for world title

By John Tynan, Equestrian correspondent

Nineteen-year-old show jumper Bertram Allen is still on target to give Ireland its first World Cup title, lying in third place going into tomorrow's final competition in Las Vegas.

The Wexford teenager won the opening speed class early on Friday morning Irish time with Molly Malone V to take poll position going into today's jump-off class.

However, Allen and the 11-year-old grey mare were among 16 competitors to fall foul of the penultimate triple combination, the Irish combo clearing the two big oxers, but lowering the vertical that followed.

While it meant Allen did not join six other riders in the jump-off, he had the quickest four faults, finishing seventh to keep himself well in contention going into tomorrow's finale, when his mare may well feel the benefit of not having had to return to the ring for a second time.

On the night, it was Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat who showed exactly why he’s the reigning Olympic champion, the 32-year-old and his 12-year-old mare, Albufuehren’s Paille, clinching it with a superb run when second-last to go.

The home supporters had a lot to cheer about with four of those in the jump-off flying the US flag. At the end of the gripping contest, it was 2013 champions Beezie Madden and Simon who filled second spot ahead of Lucy Davis and Barron in third, while the 2012 champions, Rich Fellers and the amazing 19-year-old Flexible, bred by Edward Doyle in Co Kildare, finished fourth.

With results turned into points after the first two competitions, the leaderboard is tight, as Guerdat and Fellers now share the top spot on a zero score, closely followed by Ireland's Allen carrying just one point, while Penelope Leprevost from France is next in line with five.

Guerdat, who knocked Allen from the top of the Western European League when winning the last qualifier in Gothenburg, said the courses in Vegas so far had been tough and it was all about fitness and resilience going into tomorrow's decider.

“We will have to see which horses recover best after the last two days. Stamina will count for a lot now, they need to be in top shape to jump again on Sunday,” he said.

Madden agreed.

“Now, it comes down to clear round jumping and speed doesn’t count so much. There’s usually a lot of movement in placings on the last day, and in a small indoor like this, well anything can happen,” she said

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