Ireland’s Bertram Allen got his Global Champions campaign of to a superb start at the first of the 2017 series’ 15 rounds in the heart of Mexico City, last weekend.

He began with a win in the two-phase competition on Thursday on his good speed horse Quiet Easy 4 by Quidam’s Rubin. He completed a double clear one second faster than Mexico’s Gonzalo Azcarraga.

Then on Friday he helped put this defending champion team, Valkenswaard United, into the lead once more with a first round clear on Noel Delahunty’s stallion Hector van d’Abdijhoeve.

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His new teammate Alberto Zorzi of Italy also went clear to have the pair go into Saturday’s decider on a zero score.

COOL UNDER PRESSURE

That came down to a pressurised, last-to-go round by Allen in which he needed a clear or four faults for the win which would earn the squad €26,000. He delivered on a score of four faults which leaves Valkenswaard top of the table on 30 points going into the second round at Miami this weekend. Their revamped squad also includes Marcus Ehning, Janika Sprunger and Sanne Thijssen.

There are now 18 teams in the league. Joining the new Moscow Bears is Michael Kearins while Cian O’Connor has signed up with a strong Miami Glory squad along with Scott Brash, Georgina Bloomberg, Kimberly Prince and Paris Sellon.

Allen also made the cut of 25 into Saturday evening’s Global Champions Grand Prix. He had one of six first round clears and was drawn first to go in the jump-off. Four faults at the double pushed him down to fifth place for a prize of €19,000 behind first time winner Martin Fuchs of Switzerland on the stallion Chaplin by Verdi out of a Concorde dam.