(06 Feb 2010)
THE final fences cost Ireland dear in today's (Saturday) 300,000 euro Grand Prix at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, with both Cork's Billy Twomey and Mayo's Cameron Hanley collecting faults at the last obstacles in the jump-off.
Twomey and Sue Davies's bay stallion 'J'Taime Flamenco' were first to go in the 11-horse final round but picked up four faults at the last fence to finish in eighth place overall. Thirty-six year-old Hanley and Sevil Sabanci's 'Southwind VDL' clipped the last two fences to finish in 10th place on eight faults.
Current show jumping world champion Jos Lansink collected the 90,000 euro first prize when finishing on a fast double clear with 'Valentina Van'T Heike', but Twomey took home 10,000 euro for his place, and Hanley 3,000.