Positivity in motion” is the abiding image one has of Bertram Allen as he powers to one more win on the top international circuit.

“The minute I get on a horse I’m 100% positive. It’s a special feeling and that is what moves me forward,” he says. That is how it has been from the very beginning when he was sweeping all before him on ponies like Magic Shadow, Acapella Z or Lough Gill. During the time that he won all three height championships at Dublin and took European gold with Acapella in 2010, his mentor was none other than Captain Con Power.

“He was an excellent competitor,” Power declares. “He always went out to win a class. There were no excuses as to why he could not do it and if you told him of a turn on the course he would take it.”

Asked if at that time he ever had the dream of competing at the very top senior level of the sport, with his deep but easy Wexford accent, he almost shyly replies: “Yes! It was a dream,” and he leaves it at that.

As he moved from ponies into horses, the change was dramatic. He took some time in England with Billy Twomey, who found the young mare Molly Molone, another mare Wild Thing and the stallion Romanov for him to ride.

Twomey said of him at that time, when he was just 15: “He has an old head on young shoulders and the beautiful thing is he meets his horses half way. He has a great future before him.”

BIG MOVE

That future came quickly, for during his transition year from boarding school in Wexford, he moved over to Germany. As luck would have it, his parents Bert and Geraldine, who were successful in property, had the wherewithal to buy Jessica Kurten’s superbly appointed 10-acre holding in Hunxe near Dusseldorf. Still aged just 16, young Bertram Allen decided to move there.

“Even though it was difficult enough at first, I needed to be here at the heart of things. It was necessary because I just could not constantly make it to top shows while still based in Ireland.” With only a few horses about the place and him doing some more school with very little German, he admits that the move was difficult and lonely at first.

“But currently, with 20 horses here, it is a very busy place now,” he says happily.

In 2013 he had his first major success with Molly Malone when together they took European Championship silver. That same year he got his first senior Nations Cup call-up for Linz in Austria. Soon afterwards, Billy Twomey introduced him to his near neighbour in Dusseldorf, top international trainer Marcus Ehning.

A massive 14 major Grand Prix events quickly came his way at places like Stockholm, Dortmund, Los Angeles, Dinard, Geesteren, La Baule plus a Global champions Tour at Paris and, of course, the Dublin Grand Prix win of 2014. Thus, he became a hot favourite on the continental circuit and was well and truly living the dream.

IRELAND’S LEADING RIDER

Youth, style and a certain aura of vulnerability made him a unique crowd-pleaser at any show he attended. Slim in the saddle, with deceptive precision, he snatched flying clears from what, at times, appeared the jaws of disaster, and won again and again to climb into the top 10 worldwide while still just 19.

As to the practicality of his training, it is easy going.

“I will load up some horses and just drive down the road to Marcus. He will put up a good course. There is no shouting but a great deal of quiet, positive chat and what he has to say is so important to pick up on.”

And how about when they compete against each other at a show?

“When Marcus is on a horse, it is all very serious and we still try to beat each other,” he says with a laugh.

SECRETS TO SUCCESS

In order to stay competitive on the top circuit, he notes that a rider has to have at least two Grand Prix mounts. He also feels that with good planning and a balanced approach, he can do both the Global Champions Tour and Nations Cup competitions for Ireland.

As to how jumping in the Global Champions League compares with FEI Nations Cup, he just says “there is no comparison” and comes down on the side of Nations Cup. He does note that some of the long travelling to GCT shows can be a problem.

“Like going all the way to Portugal with just one horse. If you do not get a touch in the Grand Prix then you come home with nothing,” he says.

Asked about what sort of breeding combinations are best for making a top show jumper, he wisely replies: “I would be the wrong person to ask. I leave it down to the breeders and buy in five- and six-year-olds to bring on.” However, he does say that they have three breeding mares and the three stallions – Dino, Hector and Romanov – in their stallion barn that is well managed by his sister April. But he firmly states that he will not breed from Molly Molone while she is still competing.

His brother Harry is now following closely in his hoof prints. Just last week Harry won individual gold at the European Championships in Hungary, seven years after his older brother Bertram.

Currently in his transition year, Harry has come to be part of the team at Hunxe. When asked if Harry would be as good as himself, Bertram replies: “God, I hope so.” What a lovely enigmatic answer! And that is Bertram – straight to the point, with no excitement until he gets in the saddle. And of that moment he says: “You have to be prepared to do what it takes to get where you want to be.” Just where that will be, still has to be written. But he makes no bones that Dublin, Aachen, medals and world number one are in his sights. CL