Co Down's Dermott Lennon recorded his third win of the week in Hamburg on Friday when he landed the Derby qualifier on the Irish Sport Horse Gelvins Touch.
The former world champion, who had won Wednesday's first qualifier at the German show with Victoria Loane's Touchdown 12-year-old, was one of 14 riders to go clear in Friday's 1.50m class but was easily the fastest in 94.13. Italy's Luca Maria Moneta finished second on Neptune Brecourt (99.29) ahead of Britain's Holly Smith on the ISH gelding Quality Old Joker (99.53). Cork's Billy Twomey finished third with Diaghilev (99.67). The Hamburg Derby takes place on Sunday.
Ireland's best result on Friday at the five-star Royal Windsor show in England came in the 1.45m jump-off class where Bertram Allen finished fifth on Hector van d'Abdijhoeve (31.67) behind Belgium's Wilm Vermier riding Gentiane de la Pomme (28.66).
Ireland has representatives competing in a variety of disciplines in Windsor viz Pony Club mounted games, endurance, driving and dressage.
Kate Dwyer, the country’s sole dressage rider at the show, finished 10th in Friday evening’s Grand Prix freestyle with Snowdon Faberge on which she had achieved the FEI qualification criteria for the 2018 World Equestrian Games when filling the same position in Thursday’s four-star Grand Prix. Both classes were won by Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin on Mount St John Freestyle.
“I am over the moon,” said 34-year-old Dunboyne-based Dwyer on achieving her qualifier criteria for the Games in Tyron, North Carolina in September. “It was only our fifth ever international big tour outing, we never competed at small tour internationally. Snowdon Fabege (Fabio) kept his cool, our canter pirouettes improved a lot and the passage (elevated trot) was strong. He is an imposing horse that the crowd really take to and has every prospect of being a consistent team horse.
“Both my mother Maureen and myself have ridden him up through the grades from when he was four. Mum has been my trainer throughout my career and I spent last weekend with British international rider Gareth Hughes who provided with some very helpful competition pointers for the Grand Prix. It is great to achieve the qualification at this stage of the season and I’m looking forward to competing in Compiègne, France next week.”
Ireland’s has riders competing at four international overseas events this weekend with Michelle Kenny (Carlchen), Sarah Ennis (Horseware Stellor Rebound) and Sam Watson (Ardagh Highlight) among a 39-strong top-class field for the first of the season’s Event Rider Masters series at Chatsworth in England.
