IRELAND’S Denis Lynch got the weekend off to a great start at the five-star World Cup Show at Bordeaux in France on Friday, riding Cornets Iberio into first place in the five-star 1.40m speed class. Lynch was one of 37 starters in the class, 13 of whom jumped clear rounds. Lynch and his mount were leaving nothing to chance, stopping the clock in 59.75 seconds – over two seconds ahead of nearest challenger Marie Demonte (FRA) on Forban de Beliard, who had to settle for the runner-up spot with a time of 62.01. The podium was completed by Dutch rider Harrie Smolders on Deesse de Kerglenn (62.06).

Saturday saw Ireland’s Thomas Ryan on Jezebeau BC finish ninth in the five-star 1.45m speed class. From a start list of 30, there were 14 combinations who jumped clear within the time allowed. Ryan and his mount stopped the clock in 64.56 seconds, which was over four seconds behind the winning time of 60.13 set by French winner Olivier Robert riding Espri du Figuier AA.

The FEI Jumping World Cup class saw a win for Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs on Conner Jei, when they jumped double clear and set an unbeatable jump-off time of 37.45 seconds. This was more than two seconds ahead of Belgian runner-up Pieter Devos on Casual DV Z, who finished in 39.54, while third placed Willem Greve (NED) on Grandorado TN N.O.P. was just 0.2 seconds behind in 39.74.

There were 39 on the start list for the prestigious class, with 12 combinations jumping clear in round one to get into the jump-off. An unfortunate four faults for Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights kept them out of the second round on this occasion.

Lynch secured a top 10 finish in Sunday’s five-star 1.60m Grand Prix, placing ninth on board Brooklyn Heights. From the 30 starters, just four managed to keep all the poles intact in round one, so it was a very competitive jump-off for the three podium positions.

Lynch and his mount had one down in the first round, meaning that they were not among the four in the jump-off. Only two of the four managed to jump clear again, with the Grand Prix win going to France’s Cedric Hurel riding Fantasio Floreval Z in a jump-off time of 41.76 seconds.

Runner-up position went to Austria’s Max Kuhner on the 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse EIC Cooley Jump the Q (Pacino (BWP) out of Jump The Q (ISH) by O.B.O.S. Quality 004 (OLD)), bred by Pam Walshe, when they finished in 42.08, while third place went to Belgium’s Pieter Devos on Jarina J (four faults, 42.61). The fourth jump-off contender, France’s Julien Epaillard on Easy Up de Grandry finished in fourth place, when incurring eight faults in 41.90 seconds.