THE indoor Longines FEI World Cup show jumping season got off to a great start for Ireland last Sunday (October 15th), with Sligo’s Richard Howley claiming victory in the opening leg of the 2023/2024 Western European League at Oslo in Norway.

The five-star start list was just that, with multiple champions among the 40 starters. An impressive 17 of those jumped clear around Italian course designer Elio Travagliati’s first-round track to make it through to the second round.

Reigning Longines FEI Jumping World Cup champion and longtime world number one, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, was first to take on the jump-off track but knocked a pole off the fourth-last oxer with the 10-year-old mare Dzara Dorchival.

Frenchman Simon Delestre was next in with Dexter Fontenis Z and took the lead with a super-fast performance, galloping through the timers with a fabulous clear in 34.85 seconds. Other combinations managed to jump clear, but they were nowhere near Delestre’s time until, 12th into the ring, Howley and his mount set off.

Howley and 12-year-old gelding Consulent de Prelet Z, owned by Sarah Borthwick and HK Horses, rode a speedy, smooth round and they were clearly out to win.

“My idea was to stay wider to the second-last and to turn tight and take one stride less to the last. I was never riding for second place, and thankfully it came off!” said the 31-year-old Irishman, who crossed the finish line in 34.55 seconds, which could not be beaten.

Five combinations were still left to go; one of whom, Great Britain’s Jack Whitaker, slotted into third when next in with Equine America Valmy de la Lande – with whom he finished fifth at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup 2022 Final in Leipzig (GER).

The British duo broke the beam in 36.42, which was slightly faster than 2009 European champion Kevin Staut and Beau de Laubry Z from France, who placed fourth. Last to go was Ireland’s Shane Breen, who clinched fifth place with the stallion Cuick Star Kervec, just ahead of Swedish brothers and multiple medallists, Jens (Diarado’s Rose Elith) and Peder (Hansson WL) Fredricson in sixth and seventh respectively.

Emotional

It was an emotional win for Howley, whose parents were watching from the stands: “It’s amazing, I am absolutely over the moon with the result,” Howley said. “My horse jumped amazing. It’s just an incredible feeling. I have my parents here with me for the first time in a long time. They came to support me and they brought some Irish luck - a bit of a rub of the green.

“Simon [Delestre] had a fantastic round, he is obviously in brilliant form and won the Grand Prix yesterday and he really laid down the gauntlet. I had to try and match him. I think I had one stride less to the last fence and I would say everywhere else we were even par.

"It’s one of my biggest achievements [to win this World Cup]. Growing up watching World Cup jumping on television - these are what dreams are made of and I am very grateful to be able to do it.”

Howley has the maximum 20 points from the Oslo win under his belt and now has the road to the 2024 Longines Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next April clearly in his sights. This success could be a game-changer for Howley, who left Sligo in the West of Ireland at the age of 17 to make his way in the sport.

Starting out, Howley worked for Jack Whitaker’s father, Michael, with whom he remains close. Having learned about the business, he then set up a successful stable of his own with his wife, Morgan, in Yorkshire, England, where they breed, produce and develop about 150 horses.

Howley had six big wins in three weeks on the Sunshine Tour in Spain earlier this year; he has had continuously strong results and this win has brought him to another level.

Numerous clears

“I’ve had Consulent for about 18 months and he’s jumped numerous clears in the Global Champions and won a 1.60m class in Dublin this year - he’s super consistent. My intention has been to get as many good results on the board as possible and to push for the World Cup Final,” Howley explained. Sunday’s victory will certainly help him along the way.

When asked how he would be celebrating his win, Howley said: “Well it looks like I missed my flight, so we will look for an Irish pub with my mum and dad - and Jack (Whitaker) has missed his flight too, so he can join us!”

Irish Horse Board Director General, Alison Corbally, said: “Many congratulations to Richard Howley on his fantastic World Cup win in Oslo. To win a World Cup Grand Prix is always a special moment in any rider’s career and it was brilliant that his parents were in Oslo to witness Richard’s brilliant performance.”

Round two of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup 2023/2024 Western European League is in Helsinki, on Sunday, October 22nd.