Ireland will have two competitors amongst the elite 18 riders who go through to the World Cup final at Leipzig in Germany next month thanks to a victory at the weekend by Denis Lynch in the World Cup qualifier in Holland.
A thrilling finish saw the 34-year-old take the lead with Thomas Straumann’s gelding Abbervail van het Dingeshof halfway through the 17 horse jump-off.
Competing against Europe’s other top riders, Lynch held onto his advantage to take the €58,000 first prize and vital World Cup ranking points that will ensure his inclusion in the Leipzig final. The result gives him a ranking of 15th overall.
Ireland’s other World Cup finalist will be Cork’s Billy Twomey, who is now fifth in the rankings after finishing 11th with Sue Davies’s stallion Je t’Aime Flamenco.
After receiving his prize, Lynch joked: ‘I’ve been trying for this for the last 15 years – it’s about time I won a World Cup qualifier.’
Team Ireland Equestrian’s show-jumping manager Robert Splaine said: ‘This was a superb performance from Denis this afternoon.
‘I’m absolutely delighted that he’s qualified. Ireland has never won a World Cup final, but with Denis and Billy now in the competition, both with superb horses, this could very well be our year.’
