LYNCH TAKES FIRST FOR IRELAND AT GERMAN THREE STAR GRAND PRIX

TIPPERARY-born Denis Lynch picked up 12,500 euro today (Sunday) for a convincing win in the three-star Grand Prix at Norten-Hardenberg in Germany with Gestüt Lewitz’s ten year-old chestnut mare Coulisa.

Thirty-eight year old Lynch was one of just four to qualify for the jump-off from a starting field of 52, and saw off a challenge from Dutch ace Marc Houtzager and the experienced 18 year-old Sterrehof’s Opium, who finished just under a second off the pace of the Irish rider.

The in-form Coulisa also won the Italian Grand Prix for Lynch at San Giovanni in Marignano two weeks ago.

Later in the evening at Norten-Hardenberg, Denis Lynch added another 6,000 euro to his prize money with a win in the 1m50 Jump Off class on Flaminia Straumann’s Cupido Z. Ireland’s Shane Breen and Calido Boy finished sixth in this competition.

In Austria, meanwhile, Antrim’s Jessica Kurten finished second today in the Gold Tour Final at Ebreichsdorf with Paul Bücheler’s ten year-old stallion Croesus, narrowly outpaced by local rider Stefan Eder and his own mare Concordija in the big 17 horse jump-off.

At the five-star Grand Prix in the famous Piazza di Siena in Rome, Ireland’s only competitor, Mark McAuley with the stallion Isco de Amoranda, failed to qualify for the jump-off after having one rail down and a time fault in the first round. The 66,000 euro first prize went instead to Canada’s Eric Lamaze with the Dutch-bred gelding Zigali PS.

Denis Lynch and Coulisa