BILLY Twomey collected 15,000 euro for a fourth place in tonight's (Saturday) hotly contested World Cup Qualifier competition in Bordeaux, France, riding the bay stallion 'Je t'Aime Flamenco'.

With a total prize purse of 150,000 euro on offer, together with valuable World Cup ranking points, some of the best international riders and horses lined out at the five-star venue for the show's signature event.

And though Cork-born Twomey was one of 12 through to the jump-off tonight, and went clear on his second outing, German winner Philipp Weishaupt could not be caught on time, with just fractions of a second separating the top five combinations in a nail-biting conclusion to the class.

Weishaupt took home 45000 euro for his efforts and enough points to lift him from his current 24th place in the World Cup rankings. Twomey, already in fifth place and qualified for the World Cup Final in Leipzig this May, moves up to third place after tonight's performance.

Billy Twomey