Bertram Allen quickly puts Olympic disappointment behind him

Bertram Allen put his omission from the Irish equestrian team at the Olympic Games behind him on Thursday night when dividing the spoils in the opening five-star class at Cannes, the 1.45m two-phase, with Germany's David Will.

Heavy rain lashed the French resort before the delayed commencement of the class which saw many combinations withdraw before jumping a pole. Will, who was drawn roughly halfway through the depleted field of just 29 starters, set the standard when clear over the second part of the track in 26.36 with the 16-year-old Cruising gelding Mic Mac du Tillard.

Favourably drawn last to jump, Allen recorded the same time when clear with Quainton Stud’s 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding Quiet Easy 4 who the rider regards as a specialist in this type of class. Brazil’s Pedro Veniss slotted into third with AR Argos when stopping the clock on 28.20.

In Spruce Meadows, Canada, Co Down’s Conor Swail won Thursday’s 1.50m jump-off class on Susan and Ariel Grange’s Dillinger while in Tyron, North Carolina, Ireland’s Andrew Bourns (Hyakari), Richie Moloney (Carrabis Z) and Shane Sweetnam (Chaqui Z) finished second, third and sixth in the 1.50m speed class won by New Zealand’s Sharn Wordley riding Casper.

Ireland has two teams competing in Nations' Cup competitions today. In Sopot, Poland, the quartet of Cameron Hanley (Cas 2), rookie Jonathan Gordon (Number One 32), Alexander Butler (Hallowberry Cruz) and Darragh Kenny (Global van T Braunerthof) has been drawn last of 13 teams to jump in the five-star competition.

At Hagen in Germany, Ireland will be represented for the first time in a pony dressage Nations Cup by Laura Dennehy (Ella), Tara Hayes (Bantiss Holy Joe) and Emily Kate Robinson (Crown Imagine).

Germany-based Kildare native Judy Reynolds has been nominated to the Olympic Council of Ireland as the country’s representative in dressage at Rio de Janeiro with Vancouver K which is owned by her parents, Kathleen and Joe.

Speaking after Reynolds’s nomination was announced, Kevin McGuinness, chairman of Horse Sport Ireland’s dressage high performance committee said: “Judy has continuously gone out and broken Irish records in her bid to secure a place for Ireland at the Rio Olympics. In the process she has raised the profile of dressage in Ireland, competing against the best in the world. Judy and Vancouver K will travel to Rio on the strength of some outstanding performances and we wish her every success.”