The Underwriting Exchange Jumping in the City final took place at Shelbourne Park last week. As in the previous rounds in Limerick and Cork, the stadium was full to capacity. The main event, the Underwriting Exchange Grand Prix, saw some of Ireland’s top riders line out and it was the experience of Francis Connors and Hyperion that delivered the first clear with a further six riders joining him.

First to go in the second round, Connors proved out of luck when he clipped a vertical, finishing in eventual seventh place.

Next in, Capt Geoff Curran and Shannondale Rahona delivered the first double-clear in 44.55 for sixth.

Capt Michael Kelly and Drumiller Lough lowered the time to beat to 39.67, which would later prove good enough for third.

Hot favourites Greg Broderick and MHS Automatic also maintained a clean sheet, but in a slower time of 40.44 for fourth.

Cian O’Connor didn’t hang about with Quidam’s Cherie and finished fifth.

Excitement mounted as Meath rider Alexander Butler negotiated some incredible turns with Vimminka and it paid off as he lowered the target to 39.61. Fastest of the clears in the first round, Dermott Lennon and Loughview Lou Lou had earned their last-to-go advantage and stopped the clock in 39.02 to win.

Afterwards, Lennon said: “I was competing in Hickstead and I made the trip over this evening. There was a great atmosphere around the arena. Overall I feel that the series was a great success for show jumping and it was good to see our top riders getting behind the initiative.”

Amateurs

The amateur riders took on the Tom Holden-designed course with the promise of an Ifor Williams horse box for the winner. Joanna Penfold from Co Tipperary, riding the grey Irish Sport Horse King Cruise, claimed the class, outpacing runner-up Paul Carroll and Castleroche La Roche (ISH) by just over a second.

Puissance

In the Devenish puissance competition, three combinations shared first prize, clearing the wall at 2.06 metres: Liam O’Meara with the Irish Sport Horse Cisero, Gabriel Corless on Rockstown Park (ISH), and Jason Higgins aboard Hadine Van’t Zorgvliet.