FIFTEEN-year-old Alex Finney won the opening round of the FEI Jumping Ponies Trophy in Herning, Denmark, which coincided with the first round of the FEI Dressage World Cup series last weekend.
Hailing from Co Down, Finney was riding the eight-year-old Scottish-bred gelding Still Got Me, owned by Jean Finney. The pair were one of 14 riders from the 28 starters to keep a clean sheet in the first round of the prestigious competition.
First to go in the jump-off, they posted a second clear in a time of 42.40 seconds and the remaining 13 riders tried but failed to catch that time. The combination earned a valuable 20 points and over €1,000 in prize money for the victory.
“It has been amazing to ride at this show. It is a great opportunity for us to get the possibilities to ride at this type of show. I am so happy with my pony, he was doing such a great job today,” a delighted Finney said after her victory.
The pair were also part of the winning Irish team in the Nations Cup at Chevenez the previous week and look like an exciting prospect for next season.
Norwegian rider Victoria Celine Dalen and Kadans Van Orchid slotted into second place in 43.20, ahead of Belgium’s Aline Sercu and Opaline Optima (0/0 43.79).
Five other Irish riders made it through to the jump-off and Rhys Williams produced one of five double clear rounds with Morgan Sheehy’s K-Little Hero d’18 in a time of 44.56 to slot into fifth place. Ryan Sweetnam was just one place behind in sixth aboard Patrick Finn’s Irish Sport Horse Kilcummin Cruise. The pair faulted once in a time of 42.26 seconds.
Sweetnam claimed victory in Friday’s 1.20m warm-up with the eight-year-old when producing the fastest double clear round in 36.76. Finney and Still Got Me were also clear in a slower time of 41.04 for eighth place, while Orla Duffy finished 10th aboard Atlanta in 41.67.
Sweetnam and Kilcummin Cruise were then second in Saturday’s 1.25m, ahead of Rhys Williams and K-Little Hero d’18.
Next up in the FEI Jumping Ponies Trophy tournament is in Lyon, France, next week, before the final qualifying round in Stuttgart. The final, won by Katie Power last year, will take place in Mechelen just after Christmas.
In the one-star division, Louth’s Kevin Thornton continued his good run of form when winning Wednesday’s 1.25 aboard Edeka’s Catyana. The pair went on to finish third in Friday’s 1.30m.
Dressage
Denmark’s Cathrin Dufour stole all the limelight when dominating both the Grand Prix and Freestyle at the first leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup 2019/2020 Western European League on home ground in Herning.
Riding her exciting young Westphalian gelding Bohemian, she posted a whopping 83.022 to win Saturday’s Grand Prix, before posting the winning Freestyle score of 88.191 which left her well clear of her nearest rivals, Germany’s Benjamin Wendl with Daily Mirror 9 and Helen Langehanenberg with Damsey FRH who slotted into second and third.
“It’s quite incredible!” said Dufour this evening, delighted with the performances of her super-talented and ultra-promising nine-year-old horse.
“Yesterday was the highlight because he was super-brave in front of a full-on crowd and everything came together! And today he brought out his “A” game again – imagine what he can do when I start to push him a bit more – he’s going to be unbelievable!”