Wexford’s Bertram Allen and his grey mare Molly Malone helped Valkeswaard United to victory in Saturday's Longines Global Champions League final round at the stunning Al Shaqab arena in Doha, Qatar.

A clear round from Allen along with another clear from team mate Alberto Zorzi (ITA) riding Fair Light van T Heike, saw Valkenswaard United finish as the only team on a zero score after two rounds of jumping.

Offaly’s Darragh Kenny and Go Easy De Muze finished with one fence down for Paris Panthers who finished fourth, while Cian O’Connor and Skyhorse were part of the Miami Glory team who finished in eighth place.

Hamburg Diamonds have been crowned overall Longines Global Champions League winners for 2017, collecting a whopping 2 Million Euro, with Valkenswaard United taking runner-up spot and a cheque for €1.350.000.

Speaking afterwards, Bertram Allen said: “We came here knowing we had to win here today, and unfortunately it wasn’t enough to win the league, but we gave it a good shot all year. We’ve had plenty of ups and downs but at least we finished on a really great note.”

The Miami Glory team which includes Cian O’Connor and Denis Lynch finished fifth on the final league table.

EARLY DAYS

Allen started out on ponies like Magic Shadow, Acapella Z and Lough Gill. During his pony days he won all three height championships at Dublin and took European gold with Acapella in 2010. In those early days his mentor was none other than Captain Con Power.

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.

A future at the top level of the sport 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.

MAJOR SUCCESS

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.

At just 22 year's of age Allen currently ranks at No. 20 in the Longines FEI world jumping rankings ahead of Cian O'Connor and Denis Lynch at No. 24 and 25 respectively.