Billy Twomey notched up Ireland’s first win at the weekend in the prestigious five-star show in Basel, Switzerland, and did so riding an Irish Sport Horse.
The 37 year-old, who is now based in England, showed a notable turn of speed at the St Jakobshalle stadium (Friday Jan 9th), when he piloted Joe Flynn’s grey stallion across the line with almost a second in hand over Belgian challenger Gregory Wathelet and Egano van het Slogenhof.
Twomey collected 6,000 euro for his win against a top international field of 50 competitors, and also saw fellow Irish rider Cameron Hanley come home in fourth place with Eleonore Paschoud and Yves Bouvier’s Newton du Haut Bois.
In addition twenty-nine year old Tipperary rider Thomas Ryan recorded Ireland’s second victory at Basel’s five-star show in Switzerland (Sunday 11th Jan), when he outpaced a 47-strong international field to collect the 6,000 euro winner’s prize. Ryan, piloting Aschwanden Simone’s grey stallion Caribo, was third-last to go and spectators were on their feet as he shaved a fifth of a second off the leading time previously set by Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanotelli and the 11 year-old mare Malou.