Teenage showjumper Bertram Allen has been named the Irish Independent young sport star of the year.
The 19-year-old rider left Olympia early to collect his award in Dublin yesterday (Monday 22 December).
Earlier in the week at the London International Horse Show Bertram won two classes — the Christmas Speed Stakes with Wild Thing L and the Christmas Masters with Aminko N.
In October Bertram broke into the world’s top 20 showjumpers for the first time — securing the 17th spot on the Longines world rankings.
Bertram jumped up 15 places thanks to finishing third in Lausanne and seventh at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) with Molly Malone V.
He put in an impressive performance at the Normandy Games, on his senior championship debut with Ballywalter Farm’s grey mare.
The pair have also enjoyed a successful summer — they finished second in the King George V Cup at Hickstead and won the grand prix at Dublin.
Last year Bertram took individual silver at the European junior championships with Molly Malone V and was gold medallist at the same event in 2012 with Wild Thing L.
Bertram also qualified Ireland for the Youth Olympics in China this summer, but was just out of the age bracket by the time the event came around — enabling Michael Duffy to jump in his place. Europe won team gold.
Bertram was chosen for young sports star of the year by the public with a record breaking number of people taking part.
Among those in attendance at the awards ceremony were Champion Hurdle winning jockey Barry Geraghty, Liverpool’s Ian Rush, European Ryder Cup winning captain Paul McGinley, European bronze medallist Mark English, Galway star Joe Canning and a host of the country’s biggest sporting stars.
For full Olympia report don’t miss 1 January issue of H&H.
