With two clears and a fast four, Ireland’s Bertram Allen withstood pressure from the world’s top riders to slot into third in the very competitive second leg of the Global Champions Tour before a packed audience in the heart of Mexico City last Saturday.

With the exuberant Belgian-bred grey stallion Hector van d’Abdijhoeve, Allen was drawn third last of 42 for the demanding Uliano Verzani-built first round. Despite wonderful going on the beautiful grass arena, only five had gone clear before him. However, the Irish partnership made small the difficulties and made it six clears going through to the second round along with nine fours two on five and one with a single time fault.

This time four managed a double. Allen was again among them and was drawn last to go against the clock. First in, Germany’s Christian Ahlmann knocked the second part of the double for four in 39.72. Next came the big danger, French speedster Roger Yves Bost on the home-bred grey stallion Ooud’Coeur de la Loge by Ideal de la Loge. In his usual style, he was fast and accurate to be home clear in the all but impossible time of 39.72.

ADVERTISEMENT

Young Jos Verlooy opted not to take on that time on the 11-year-old stallion Caracas and slotted into second with a slow clear in 41.63.

So, once again it was all down to the ever confident 20-year-old Wexford man. Hector was at his bucking best but took on the twisting course with ease. Coming to the second last upright, Bertram was just slightly behind on time. Pushing on to that, he just clipped out the top pole and crossed the line on four in 38.19. He was faster than Ahlmann and took third place for a gain of €60,000.

Meanwhile, there was a reversal of fortunes for Bertram Allen and John Whitaker on the Valkenswaard United team at the second leg of the new Global Champions League in Mexico City. They did not make the cut of eight from the first round.

The event was won by Shanghai Swans side of Edwina Tops Alexander and Janne – Friederike Meyer. Global action moves to Antwerp this weekend.

Officials suspended

In a move that appears to be going down a dead-end alley, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has suspended two of the officials who acted at the opening round of the new Global Champions League at Miami last Sunday week.

Just prior to the start of the second leg at Mexico City, it was reported that Dutch assistant course builder Rob Jansen and international judge Rogier van Lersel were to be suspended through the Dutch federation KNHS.

This is in fulfilment of an FEI threat that officials that took part in the new team competition which they claimed conflicted with the traditional Nations Cup events, would face suspension.

At this time it is not known if any other officials were handed six-month suspensions. Riders are not affected by the same threat so the whole thing appears a bit futile on the part of the FEI.