Twomey seals Birmingham success with Grand Prix victory

AN in-form Billy Twomey sealed his outstanding performances at this weekend’s Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham, England, with a decisive Grand Prix win tonight (Sunday) aboard Terry Payne’s bay gelding Diaghilev.

Twomey already had two wins and three top five places to his credit when he entered the National Exhibition Centre arena tonight, and despite a formidable line-up of challengers the Corkman walked away with the 18,000 euro prize and the Leading Show Jumper of the Year trophy.

The 12 top combinations through to the jump-off found the second round arduous, and in the end only Twomey racked up the double clear round that everyone else was striving to achieve.

Anthony Condon also featured in the Grand Prix top ten, with an eighth place on the bay stallion Aristio.

Earlier in the day, Tipperary’s Trevor Breen placed second in the Two Phase competition at Birmingham with the Irish Sport Horse Oldtown KC, just under a second off the pace of British winner Clark Glasgow and Corlando of Cavallini.

Billy Twomey and Diaghilev