David Simpson wins Hickstead Derby

Irish riders claimed five of the top ten placings at the Hickstead Derby

The prestigious CSI4* Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby proved as influential as ever this afternoon, with Ireland’s David Simpson coming out victorious. 21 riders completed the course, with only three combinations jumping clear to progress to the jump-off. In an unusual turn of events William Funnell jumped clear on both of his horses making it a three-way jump-off between only two riders.

There was little between Funnell and Simpson, both having one fence down in the deciding round. A time of 90.48 seconds left Simpson in pole position with Funnell settling for second place in 91.68 seconds. The Derry native partnered his own 8-year-old stallion Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve.

Fourth place was divided between Irish riders Daniel McAlinden with Keatingstown Z Wellie Two (ISH), owned by Sharon Fitzpatrick, and Jordan Coyle with Eristov, owned in partnership with Elan Farms and Coyle. Trevor Breen, who was part of The Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping team that were runners up in the CSIO5* Nations Cup in Rotterdam on Friday, finished sixth with Home Farm Equestrian’s Gonzalo and Stephen Dubsky was equal ninth riding his own C The Stars

In Rotterdam, Daniel Coyle concluded what has been a successful week at the CSIO5*with a second-place finish in the 1.60m Grand Prix. Riding the 13-year-old mare Legacy, who he won the 1.50m ranking class with on Friday, Coyle finished almost four seconds ahead of Aurelien Leroy for France in third. Topping the podium was Willem Greve for The Netherlands. Owned in partnership with Ariel Grange, Legacy and Coyle have recorded multiple top international placings.

In the CSI5* Global Champions Tour in Paris, a single time fault kept Mark McAuley from the eight-way jump-off in the 1.55m ranking class. Riding the 10-year-old Django Ste Hermelle, owned by S.N.C McAualey, the Louth native had to settle for ninth place. Earlier in the day in Paris Denis Lynch won the 1.45m ranking class with Cornets Iberio – a 11-year-old stallion owned by Sebastien Schatzmann.

In the 1.55m Grand Prix at the CSIO3* in Deauville, France, Diarmuid Howley finished in third place with the nine-year-old mare Uriga VA, owned by Manfred Von Allwörden. The pair were one of 14 combinations to progress to the jump-off. Victory went to Cedric Hurel for the home nation and Portugal’s Duarte Seabra finished second.

Breeding:

Keatingstown Z Wellie Two (ISH) – 2011 gelding by Z Wellie 72 (KWPN) out of Marchionesse (ISH). Breeder: Sharon Fitzpatrick, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Sharon Fitzpatrick. Rider: Daniel McAlinden (IRL)