Ireland's Jordan Coyle recorded the biggest win of his career in Leon, Mexico on Saturday when landing the Longines FEI jumping World Cup class, the newest leg in the North American league.
The 25-year-old from Derry was one of just four foreign riders in the 21-strong field and, along with the home nation’s Salvador Onate, one of just two to progress to the jump-off round in the 1.60m competition.
First to go against the clock, Coyle was home clear in 40.37 seconds with Elan Farm’s 10-year-old grey Dutch Warmblood gelding while Onate, riding Big Red, also left all the fences intact but in the slower time of 41.96.
“My horse is naturally very fast,” said Coyle. “Going first, I wasn’t sure what to do, as I’m new to Mexico and this show circuit. I went as fast as I could go, and it worked. On a day like this, I don’t think there are many horses in the world that are as good as him. This is without a doubt my biggest win so far.”
Coyle’s brother Daniel is competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida where, on Saturday night, he was one of three Irish riders who got through to the jump-off round of the five-star 1.60m Grand Prix won by Switzerland’s Marcus Fuchs on Clooney 51 (33.13).
The trio all went clear again over the shortened track designed by Britain's Kelvin Bywater with Coyle finishing sixth on Ariel Grange's Quintin (34.90), Co Down's Conor Swail placing fourth on Vanessa Mannix's Flower (34.69) and Kilkenny's Richie Moloney taking third place on the podium with the Irish Sport Horse gelding Rocksy Music (34.42).
It was another solid result for Equinimity's Rocksy Music, a horse which Moloney has brought along slowly for the last year and a half. "He was a little bit difficult when he came first. He's 11, but he's probably a year behind," said Moloney of the Ars Vivendi gelding, which was bred in Co Waterford by Stephen Keane out of the Diamond Serpent mare Krafty Kate.
“We took our time and, he when he was ready to go, he came along very quickly,” said Moloney of Rocksy Music which was given three months off before the start of the WEF. “I was very happy with my jump-off,” stated the rider, adding: “He’s going to be my best horse.”
Earlier in the day, Co Louth’s Mark McAuley won the 1.45m speed class at the five-star show in Bordeaux, France.
Riding Nicole Mordasini's 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Jacintha v. Kriekenhof, Switzerland-based McAuley was home clear in 58.24 to win ahead of Germany's Michael Jung and fischerDaily Impressed (58.87). Wexford native Bertram Allen finished third in 58.97 on Ballywalter Farm's GK Casper.
