Twomey shines in St Tropez

BILLY TWOMEY yesterday capped a great weekend for Irish show jumpers, winning the grand prix at St Tropez.

The 30-year-old Corkman was clear with Anastasia III in the jump-off and almost a second faster than Frenchman Florian Angot on First De Launay to pocket €10,000.

In Poznan, Poland, Cian O’Connor continued his winning ways with victory in the Young Horse Final on Saturday, piloting Conahy Clover to an easy victory in the decider for six and seven-year-old horses. On Friday, the Meath-based rider won a jump-off with Complete in the nations cup to give Ireland victory over Denmark. Captain Shane Carey had opened the Irish account by winning the Poznan speed competition with Cashla Bay.

O’Connor’s young horse final triumph was one of three by Irish riders at the weekend. At the three-star show in Balve, Germany, Antrim woman Jessica Kürten rode the seven-year-old Cosma Shiva to victory, beating German ace Franke Sloothaak, on board Lou, by almost half a second. Mayo rider Cameron Hanley repeated the feat in Naples with SIEC Alienne.

Kürten added to her tally with victory in Saturday’s main class. Riding Castle Forbes Libertina, the German-based rider had little difficulty shrugging off the challenge of Germans Christian Ahlmann (Lorenzo) and Sloothaak (Legurio) in a competition of 53 starters. Earlier, Castle Forbes Vivaldo had carried her to third in the day’s speed class.

In the grand prix at the two-star show in Wisbecq, Belgium, Francis Connors made the jump-off with Merlin’s Magic, but four faults kept him back in eighth place.

The Waterford rider finished equal first in Saturday’s six-bar, jumping clear with Merlin’s Magic after the competition went to five rounds.

Ireland’s young riders also made their mark, with Alexander Butler combining with Sea Dancer yesterday to win the grand prix at Wierden, Belgium, while in the pony nations cup at Aach, Germany, the team of Shane Connell (Murphy’s Flight), Emily Turkington (Future Interest), Shannon McKenzie (Dollar Girl) and Richard Howley (Our Foreman) finished joint second in a seven-country contest. With 24 faults, the Irish were four faults behind winners Britain.