Out-of-contention Twomey pulls Serenade out of World Cup

Having fallen out of contention, Billy Twomey yesterday pulled out of the World Cup final citing Tinka’s Serenade age.

The Cork show jumper was well placed after Friday’s first round in Lyon, France, finishing eighth with the 17-year-old mare, but eight faults in the first round of Saturday’s jump-off ended his aspirations, dropping him to 17th ahead of today’s deciding rounds.

“Considering I’m four fences off the leader, I decided to save Tinka for another day,” said Twomey. “There’s grands prix and nations cups on the horizon and, considering her age, I feel this is the right decision.”

Switzerland’s Olympic champion Steve Guerdat became the sole rider at the top of the table yesterday after the home side’s hopes were dashed when joint leader Patrice Delaveau withdrew his horse, Lacrimoso, after his dark bay stallion had suffered a possible sprain to his foreleg.

Guerdat has a narrow two-point advantage over Germany’s Daniel Deusser, while Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum, defending champion Beezie Madden from the US and first-day winner Pius Schwizer from Switzerland are just another two points adrift.

In Fontainebleau, France, the Irish pony team of Michael Pender (Doon Laddie, 0/4), Sean Monaghan (Attyrory Rebel, 4/0), Hannah O’Shea (More Clover, 4/4), and Jessica Kuehnle (Gold Digger Douglas, 0/19) placed third in the nations cup.