Equestrian News round-up: Lieut David O'Brien, the only Irish rider competing at the Finnish World Cup show in Helsinki, notched up an impressive double on Saturday, winning the 1.40-metre speed class and then adding the Puissance to his tally.
O'Brien rode the nine-year-old Clover Hill mare, Lismore Clover, to lift the speed class by almost two seconds from German challenger Franke Sloothaak and Frenchman Michel Hecart, before bringing out the three-years-older, Cruise Hill, to share the Puissance honours with Denmark's Michael Aabo over a Helsinki show record height of 2.18 metres.
But hopes O'Brien could clinch a Finnish hat-trick by winning yesterday's World Cup qualifier were dashed when Boherdeal Clover was withdrawn after a fall in the warm-up arena. The 12-year-old son of Clover Hill fell after becoming unsettled when another horse hit a fence in the warm-up and Army Equitation School commanding officer Lieut-Col Gerry Mullins pulled the Irish stallion out of the class.
Over in France, Neilus O'Donoghue claimed the best-of-the-Irish mantle at the world young horse eventing championships when finishing 17th with the grey, Balladeer Alfred. A cruising clear across country well inside the time boosted James Reilly's seven-year-old to 20th overnight and the Edmund Burke gelding repeated the feat in yesterday's show jumping to move up three places in the final order.
Young rider Richard Irwin was also totally unpenalised in Saturday's cross-country but, despite his show jumping parentage, the Carrolls Flight gelding Seven 4 Seven lowered three rails yesterday to slide to 24th in the final line-up.
Sarah Ennis and Killossery Kobra, clear and well inside the time on Saturday, hit three yesterday and added three on the clock to finish 11th in the six-year-olds, but that result helped the Irish sport horse studbook to third place in the world breeding trophy. The Selle Francais, which boasted both class winners, finished well clear of the Anglo-Arabs.
Honours in the two age divisions both went to the home side, with Pascale Boutet leading from the outset on If You Want II to win the seven-year-olds, while Nicolas Touzaint, who took home the European title from Punchestown last month, executed a similar feat to win the six-year-olds with Joker d'Helby.
Compatriot Christian Weerts, who had parted company with his six-year-old ride, Jalisco d'Autan, at the water, then had a much nastier fall with the year older Icare d'Olympe, which somersaulted over the central element and crashed down onto his rider.
Weerts was immobilised and rushed to hospital where, incredibly, only a broken femur was diagnosed. In a separate incident, Guillaume Dupille and In Fijar fell at the big ditch and palisade. Although the rider was unhurt, the horse broke its neck and was killed instantly.
