Jessica Kurten notched up Ireland’s fourth show jumping victory this weekend when she won at ‘s-Hertogenbosch on Saturday evening romping home with more than two seconds in hand over nearest challenger, Britain’s Scott Brash.
The Antrim-born rider, piloting VDL Stud’s stallion Arezzo VDL, was back to her top form at the Netherlands show, and never looked in danger of being caught in the one round competition by Brash and the bay gelding Whisky Mac IV.
Ireland’s presence at the World Cup venue was underscored by Tipperary’s Denis Lynch, who produced an eighth place on the gelding Anyway II.
On Friday night another Tipperary rider, Shane Breen, tasted victory in the jump-off class at Vilamoura in Portugal, riding the stallion Balloon, while in Braunschweig in Germany, 17 year-old Wexford native Bertram Allen took first place in the big speed class aboard Billy Twomey’s mare Molly Malone V.
The first Irish victory of the weekend, however, went to Co. Down’s Conor Swail, who led five Irish riders into the top ten at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, riding the mare Martha Louise.
And finally, a reminder that Irish Horse TV is a new online TV channel dedicated to both Irish Horse Racing and Irish Horse Sport activities. Irish Horse TV is the first Irish station of its kind which combines flat and jump racing, excluding live racing, with the Olympic disciplines of show jumping, eventing and dressage as well as other equestrian pursuits. The station targets domestic and international audiences.
