Isabel Hurley

ALL eyes are on show jumper Denis Lynch and dressage rider Judy Reynolds as they carry Irish hopes at the FEI World Cup Finals in Gothenburg Horse Show this weekend.

Qualified for Rio, Kildare’s dressage rider Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K competed for the first time in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final GPS at Gothenburg in the flagship Scandinavium Arena after an unexpected call-up.

The duo, who are Ireland’s only dressage combination in the top event, executed a strong performance shortly after lunchtime yesterday, which put them into fifth place in the 18-horse competition at that stage and ultimately they finished ninth on 73.000%.

Yesterday’s Grand Prix Special has no bearing on Sunday’s World Cup finale, apart from determining the starting position. Reynolds will now go ninth on Sunday.

The top three scores from yesterday’s event were dominated by the Dutch and Swedish riders. Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Flirt posted 76.871% followed by Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven on Don Auriello (76.500%) and Patrik Kittel on Watermill Swatch (76.400%).

SHOW JUMPING

Late yesterday afternoon, a capacity crowd packed the stadium as the first of the weekend’s three show jumping events got under way. Tipperary’s Denis Lynch and his top ride All Star 5 were drawn 20th of 36 starters for round one of the Longines FEI World Cup finals, a speed competition with seconds added for knockdowns.

Lynch and the 13-year-old Argentinus stallion, owned by the Tipperary native in partnership with longtime supporter Thomas Straumann, posted a clear round in 74.71 which saw them finish in 22nd place. Excitement heightened when France’s Simon Delestre and Qlassic Bois Margot overtook Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Cornet D’Amour for the lead, clear in 66.04 but more was to come from the French riders when a fabulous round from France’s Penelope Leprevost, clear in 63.78, snatched the win with Vagabond de la Pomme.

Also competing at Gothenburg this weekend is the brilliant Irish-bred Flexible (by Cruising out of Flex), bred by Edward and Catherine Doyle in Co Kildare, who made history with his eighth World Cup final appearance. The 20-year-old traditional Irish sport horse was campaigned by regular rider America’s Rich Fellers. The duo didn’t have luck on their side yesterday, with two knockdowns in 75.15. Fans can show their support for Reynolds, Lynch and Flexible during the World Cup by using the hashtags #godenis, #gojudy and #goflexible on social media.