Twomey claims first win at Oslo for Ireland

CONTINUING a recent run of remarkable form, Cork’s Billy Twomey pulled off yet another win this evening (Friday) when he took the trophy in the first 1m50 competition at Oslo’s World Cup show..

Fresh from three victories at the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham England last weekend, the 38 year-old laid down the gauntlet in the Norwegian capital aboard Sue Davies’s grey gelding Tin Tin.

Thirty-fifth to jump from a starting field of 48, Twomey covered the five-star track at blistering speed, overtaking the leading combination of Brazil’s Doda de Miranda and AD Nouvelle Europe Z by just under half a second to collect the 5,500 euro winner’s prize.

Of the subsequent riders, only Netherlands star Harrie Smolders came close, aboard Don VHP Z, but finished in fourth, almost a full second adrift.

Twomey is joined at Oslo by Tipperary’s Shane Breen, and both riders will be contesting Sunday’s Longines FEI World Cup competition, the first in the 2015/2016 series.

In the USA, meanwhile, Co. Down’s Conor Swail yesterday recorded back-to-back wins at the two-star show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, taking the opening competition with Viva Colombia, and following with a second win later in the day on Simba de la Roque.

Billy Twomey