Cian O’Connor.
On his first appearance at the Glock Horse Performance Center in Treffen, Austria, Irishman Cian O’Connor immediately collected a five-star victory. For the GLOCK’s 5* Opening Competition on Thursday, June 15, 2017, he saddled up the 12-year-old Swiss stallion Copain du Perchet CH, putting on an outstanding performance in this test over 1.45m.
With a penalty-free round and a time of 65.17 seconds, the duo left the other 73 participating paird with no chance and O’Connor could celebrate his first place. “I’m so happy to have been able to take part in this wonderful event for the first time,” he commented. “It’s great to have dealt with the first test so quickly, because that creates a great impetus for the weekend. In the Grand Prix on Sunday I won’t be riding this horse but rather one of my students’. For now I’m hoping that this weekend will carry on as well as it began.”
Jur Vrieling of The Netherlands with Corporal VDL, bred from Cardento, was closest to victory at 65.31 seconds—only 14 hundredths behind O’Connor. His compatriot, Jeroen Dubbeldam came third with his BWP mare Gioia van het Neerenbosch (0/68.53). The only Austrian to achieve a placing was Max Kühner (T), coming tenth with nine-year-old Zangersheide stallion Alfa Jordan (0/73.26).
CSI5* GLOCK’s Opening Competition
International jumping competition against the clock 1.45 m
1. Copain du Perchet CH – O’Connor, Cian (IRL) 0/65.17
2. Corporal VDL – Vrieling, Jur (NED) 0/65.31
3. Gioia van het Neerenbosch – Dubbeldam, Jeroen (NED) 0/68.53
4. Dallas Vdl – Vrieling, Jur (NED) 0/68.78
5. Coranto – Muff, Werner (SUI) 0/68.94
6. Alicante – Guery, Jérome (BEL) 0/68.96
7. Don Diego – Schröder, Gerco (NED) 0/70.3
8. Chesall Zimequest – Delestre, Simon (FRA) 0/70.91
9. Icos – Philippaerts, Olivier (BEL) 0/73.03
10.Alfa Jordan – Kühner, Max (AUT/T) 0/73.26
11.Cristo – Fuchs, Martin (SUI) 0/73.57
12.Indi – Meyer-Zimmermann, Janne F. (GER) 0/73.64
13.Rmf Zecilie – Lynch, Denis (IRL) 0/78.10
14.Chadino – Delestre, Simon (FRA) 0/78.36
15.Constable II – Kraut, Laura (USA) 0/79.80
16.Comme Il Faut – Ehning, Marcus (GER) 1/81.68
17.Instit de Jucaso – Guery, Jérome (BEL) 1/81.95
18.Dino W – Allen, Bertram (IRL) 1/84.21
19.H&M Zilverstar T – Philippaerts, Nicola (BEL) 1/84.99