Allen continues successful run with victory at Fontainebleau

WEXFORD’S 17 year-old Bertram Allen continued his recent run of show jumping successes with a win in the jump-off class at Fontainebleau in France today, seeing off challenges from some of the world’s top-ranked international riders.

Allen, who was piloting the grey mare Molly Malone V, took the 6,000 euro prize by just a sixth of a second from renowned Brazilian rider Pedro Veniss and the French-bred Amemoi O Sandor in the twelve horse jump-off.

Third place went to another famous Brazilian rider, Bernardo Alves, with British show jumping legend John Whitaker settling for fourth place.

Allen, who also racked up several top ten places at Fontainebleau, took first prize in the Portuguese Grand Prix last week with Billy Twomey’s Romanov, and in May produced a remarkable double clear round with the same horse to help Ireland finish in fifth place at the Linz Nations’ Cup, his debut at the senior team level.

In Hickstead, England, meanwhile, Irish riders fell just short of reproducing their Saturday evening whitewash in the Speed Derby, with the 45,000 euro victory in today’s main event, the British Jumping Derby, going to the single clear round of local rider Phillip Miller and the grey stallion Caritiar Z.

However, with the lead regularly changing hands between Ireland and Britain as the challenging Derby course took its toll, Tipperary’s Trevor Breen finished best of the Irish in equal second place on Karen Swann’s bay gelding Adventure de Kannan, sharing the prize with Britain’s William Funnell and the Irish Sport Horse Dorada, both on four faults.

Fourth place went to another Irish Sport Horse, Rolo Tomasi, ridden by Ireland’s David Simpson, with eight faults on the board. Three irish riders were in equal sixth place on 12 faults – Ger Clarke with Jakes Dream, Capt. Michael Kelly on Dollanstown and Shane Breen with Ominerale Courcelle. A total of 18 riders either retired or were eliminated during the Derby.