EQUESTRIAN SPORT:CIAN O'CONNOR enjoyed a successful trip to Geneva at the weekend, highlighted by his win in Saturday's Derby with Declan McEvoy's bay gelding Umberto.
The Meath-based rider was the only competitor from a start list of 25 to incur no jumping penalties in the competition which was run over a course of natural obstacles with time added for every mistake on the track.
O’Connor, who held off France’s Philippe Rozier (Ideal de Roy) by just over three-fifths of a second in the Derby, was also on the winning European II squad which won Saturday’s team competition. Riding his recent purchase Larkhill Cruiser, the 31-year-old joined forces with Rozier and Portugal’s Luciana Diniz to win the speed part of the class.
On Friday night, Denis Lynch rallied in round two of the Rolex World Top Ten Final to finish second overall and take almost €40,000 in prize-money.
The Irish equestrian world was deeply saddened to learn of the death on Saturday of former international Army rider Lieutenant Colonel Ronnie MacMahon. On his retirement from the saddle, Lt-Col MacMahon gave a huge amount back to the sport in various roles particularly through his association with the RDS, the Future Event Horse League and Eventing Ireland.
