(AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Ireland’s Denis Lynch scored his countries first win at the five star show in Mechelen, Belgium today, taking victory in the Grand Prix with Thomas Straumann’s bay gelding Abbervail van het Dingeshof. Riding the 14 year old gelding by Nonstop x Jus de Pomme, Lynch was faster than Dutch World Team Champion Jur Vrieling aboard Flash Dance vd Kalevallei.
“Abbervail doesn’t always seem to be fast but he has a big canter and has so much experience you can take risks. The victory in this Grand Prix is a motivation and will boost me to perform well in the World Cup tomorrow. I don’t have World Cup points yet and would like to take some in Mechelen.”
Pieter Devos was the best performing Belgian riding with Dylano and obtained third place. “I haven’t been riding Dylano for a long time and this was the first real jump off” said Pieter. “I am super happy with all of my horses’ performances in Mechelen.”
Dutch star Jur Vrieling and Flash Dance V. Kalevallei came closest to catching Lynch – who at 22nd in the world showjumping rankings is currently six places below Vrieling – with just a fifth of a second separating the two. Only seven combinations managed to achieve double clear rounds in the Grand Prix.
Source: Jumping Mechelen