Judy Reynolds continues countdown to Rio with fourth place in Austrian Grand Prix

IRISH Dressage rider Judy Reynolds continued her preparations for the Olympic Games in Rio, with a fourth place finish in today’s Grand Prix Special at the four-star show at Fritzens-Schindlhof in Austria.

Reynolds (pictured above) produced a score of 72.039% with the gelding Vancouver K, who is owned by her parents Joe and Kathleen Reynolds. Five-time Olympic Gold medallist Isabell Werth took the winners prize with Emilio, ahead of fellow German rider Jessica Von Bredow in second. Reynolds finished less than one percent behind Anna Nolte (GER) who took the third spot on the podium.

Kildare-born Reynolds and Vancouver K had finished third in Friday’s Grand Prix qualifier at the Austrian venue, as the countdown continues to the Olympic Dressage competition in Rio which starts on August 10th.

Reynolds is one of seven Irish equestrian athletes who will represent Ireland in Rio. She will be joined by Show Jumper Greg Broderick, the Irish Eventing team of Clare Abbott, Jonty Evans, Mark Kyle and Padriag McCarthy, along with one Paralympic rider.

Meanwhile at the two-star Belgian Show Jumping fixture in Knokke, Kilkenny’s Ivan Dalton won this morning’s Grand Prix riding Umano Des Dragons, collecting a new Mini Moke car as the winners prize.