Wexford's Bertram Allen won two competitions at Stockholm over the weekend while, in his absence, he was twice honoured at the Irish show jumping awards gala in the Killashee House Hotel on Saturday night.
Allen’s first victory at the Swedish four-star show came in Saturday’s 1.40m two-phase competition where he was the only rider to break the 29 seconds barrier. In the second phase, the 22-year-old was clear in 28.85 with It’s Me, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Ballywalter Bloodstock and Ronooco Jump. The combination had finished third in similar company on Friday.
On Sunday, Allen was one of five riders who got through to the jump-off round of the 1.55m Grand Prix and then one of just two to jump a second clear. On board Ballywalter Bloodstock’s 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Gin Chin van het Lindenhof, the Irishman was much the faster, leaving all the poles intact in 42.63 as home favourite Malin Baryard-Johnsson recorded the second double clear in 54.50 on H&M Indiana.
Victory for Allen saw him win his seventh new car at the Swedish venue in the last three years and the 10th new car of his career.
On Saturday night in Co Kildare, Allen, along with Denis Lynch, Cian O’Connor, Shane Sweetnam and Mark McAuley was named on the Horse Sport Ireland team of the year following their success in the European senior show jumping championships.
Inducted to the Showjumpers Club Hall of Fame was the hat trick-winning Aga Khan team (1977-79) of James Kernan, Eddie Macken, Captain Con Power and the late James Kernan.
Among the accolades given out on the night, 14 riders were awarded "FEI Badges of Honour" in recognition of their performances for Ireland on the international stage. The gold badge recipients were Shane Breen, Shane Sweetnam, Cian O'Connor, Cameron Hanley, Dermott Lennon, Denis Lynch and Billy Twomey. Silver badges were presented to Bertram Allen and Darragh Kenny while Bronze Badges were presented to Greg Broderick, Anthony Condon, Thomas Ryan, Nicola FitzGibbon and Conor Swail
This was the first round of FEI Badges of Honour to be awarded since the establishment of Horse Sport Ireland and the National Federation is working closely with the FEI to uncover more athletes with the potential to acquire such coveted honours. A number of Irish eventing and dressage riders are also set to receive FEI Badges of Honour in the coming months.
International award
Cian O’Connor was named GAIN Equine Nutrition international rider of the year while Mark McAuley received the Acadami rookie of the year award. The horse of the year title went to the stallion All Star which is ridden by Denis Lynch for owner Thomas Straumann.
The EquiVET Ireland Junior Team of the Year went to the Pony (Under 16) European Championship winning team of Harry Allen, Kate Derwin, Ciaran Nallon, Abbie Sweetnam and Seamus Hughes-Kennedy. Lucinda Roche was named TRI International young rider of the year while Jack Ryan picked up the Cromwellstown Stables young rider champion title.
The MyShowAdvisor show of the year went to Portmore Autumn Championships and the Tredstep ddspecial achievement awards were presented to Ger O’Neill for his six-year-old World Championship win on Columcille Gipsy and to Richard Howley for his Under-25 Grand Prix win in the Lövsta Future Challenge held during the European Championships in Gothenburg.
Greg Broderick was honoured for winning the TRM/Horseware New Heights Champions Series and National Championship. Sven Hadley received an award for winning the Spring Tour while Liam O'Meara was the Showjumping Ireland National Grand Prix Champion. Joanne Penfold and Sara Gorman were named the Cavan Equestrian Centre National Amateur and the West Wood Speed Amateur Champions respectively.
