The Valkenswaard United combination of Co Wexford's Bertram Allen (Quiet Easy 4) and Britain's John Whitaker (Lord Of Arabia) won Sunday's Global Champions Tour team competition at Miami Beach, Florida.
A double clear from Whitaker and a pole down from Allen in round two, saw the duo complete on four faults as did the Antwerp Diamonds pairing of Audrey Coulter (Alex) and Harrie Smolders (Bokai). However, the €60+ first prize went the way of Allen and Whitaker as they recorded a combined time of 113.15 compared to their rivals' 118.59.
Unfortunately, the Irish trio of Allen (Hector van d'Abdijhoeve), Conor Swail (Martha Louise) and Denis Lynch (Ho Go van de Padenborre) failed to advance beyond round one of Saturday's GCT Grand Prix won by Australia's Edwina Tops Alexander on Lintea Tequila.
In para dressage, the Irish team of Helen Kearney and Rock And Roll 2 (Grade 1A), Kate Kerr Horan on Arlande (Grade II), Rosemary Gaffney and Bink (Grade III) and James Dwyer with Fleurette van de Kreungel (Grade IV) finished third in the Nations' cup competition which concluded in Deauville on Saturday.
Great Britain won the event on a total of 73.597% followed by The Netherlands on 70.329 while Ireland posted a score of 67.595. Kearney, Kerr Horan and Dwyer qualified for Sunday’s Freestyle to music competition in their Grades, respectively finishing fourth, fifth and third.
Co Mayo-born event rider Tim Bourke placed 26th of 54 starters in the CIC3* at The Fork horse trials in North Carolina with the Irish Sport Horse gelding Loughan Quality. The combination is heading to Kentucky at the end of the month as Ireland’s sole representative in the four-star Kentucky Rolex competition.
At home, the Ennis sisters, Nicola and Sarah, won the two top-graded classes at Sunday's one-day event in Lisgarvan with Westwinds Jack Of Hearts (O/CNC2*) and Fortmoy Cushla (CNC2*). In show jumping Liam O'Meara and Curraghgraigue Jack Take Fligh landed Saturday's round of the Connolly' Red Mills Spring Tour in Mullingar while Sunday's leg went to Vincent Byrne riding Mr Rockefeller.
At Dressage Ireland's national winter finals in Cavan, Saturday's feature class, the Prix St Georges, was won by Bangor's Courtney Stuart with her 14-year-old Westfalian Fanfarron 8, winner also of the Intermediare I championship. Cleggan-based Dutch rider Sille van der Wijk claimed Sunday's preliminary ride-off with the seven-year-old Connemara gelding Kinvara Tan.
