Teenage showjumping star Bertram Allen has wowed again, this time at the five-star show in Verona.
The 19-year-old Irish rider won the grand prix on Sunday (9 November) with Molly Malone V. It was his first appearance at an FEI World Cup show. As well as taking home the first prize of €43,750 (£34,350), Bertram secured his first 20 World Cup points.
There were 35 combinations taking part in the class, with 10 going through to the jump off. Bertram was second-last to jump but managed to shave 0.33sec off the time of the leaders — Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Verdi TN N.O.P.
“She’s fast and careful. This is a great horse and I’m very lucky to have her,” Bertram said of the mare, owned by Ballywalter Farms.
Bertram and 10-year-old Molly Malone V have had an enormous amount success this year, including victory in the grand prix at Dublin Horse Show, finishing second in the King George V Cup at Hickstead and coming seventh individually in the World Equestrian Games in Normandy this summer. He was the youngest showjumper at the Games and it was his senior championship debut.
In 2013 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.
Last month the Irish rider broke into the world rankings for the first time — securing the 17th place. He now sits in 19th for November’s rankings.
British-bred victors
It was a successful weekend (8-9 November) for British-bred showjumpers — three international grands prix were won.
As well as Molly Malone V (bred in Hampshire by Keith Doyle), in Oliva Nova, Spain, Jessica Mendoza took the grand prize with Spirit T — bred by John Roberts in Yorkshire.
Meanwhile John Whitaker took the Munich grand prix for the second successive year on 12-year-old Argento — bred in Nottinghamshire by Keeley Durham.
“It was one of those rounds where everything worked out. I was early to go, we put the pressure on and all the others had fences down,” said John.
Don’t miss this week’s issue of H&H magazine for more global showjumping — out Thursday 13 November.
Bertram Allen breaks into world’s top 20 showjumpers for the first time
The teenage Irish rider has secured the 17th spot on the Longines world rankings, which were revealed on Friday (3
WEG showjumping: youngest rider Bertram Allen holds lead
The youngest showjumper at WEG has won the opening speed round, while Britain managed three clear rounds
