Billy Twomey is king of Hickstead

With four wins to his credit, including the Longines Gold Cup, Ireland's Billy Twomey was clearly the king of the Royal International Show at Hickstead last weekend. This was part of a huge sweep of the prizes by the Irish at the Sussex venue. Derry’s David Simpson won the Queen’s Cup. Elizabeth Power took the Eventers Challenge while Ireland came a close second in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup.

Cork’s Billy Twomey followed on from good results in Dublin to win Wednesday’s Bunn Leisure Vase on Thomas by Quidam de Revel. With the same British-bred gelding, he also took Saturday morning’s Speed Classic and then on Diaghilev, he went on to claim the two-round Leisure Salver that afternoon. But Billy’s crowning moment came on Sunday afternoon when he powered home the winner of the King George Gold Cup on the AES mare Lizziemary.

Out of 48 starters, there were 13 clears. Among them were Bertram Allen on Molly Molone V and Shane Breen with Golden Hawk.

Against the clock Britain’s Tim Stockdale set the pace in 41.91. Eighth to go Allen cut a second and a half off that to take the lead in 40.25. But even that was twice beaten by Lillie Keenan of USA and Wout Jan van de Schans of the Netherlands, who created a new target of 39.92. Last in, Twomey cut a further half a second off that for the win.

Making it a big cup double, David Simpson had one of only three double clears in Saturday’s featured Queen’s Cup to win on the German-bred mare Chessy 17 by two seconds ahead of Britain’s Holly Smith.

In Thursday’s Amlin Plus Eventers Challenge, Elizabeth Power had a zero score in 122.12 to win on Doonaveeragh O One.

Ireland second in Nations Cup

Against powerful opposition from Germany, Britain, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland, who were all bidding for Furusiyya qualifying points, the Irish side of Bertram Allen, Billy Twomey, Anthony Condon and Shane Breen put in a superb performance.

With four clears and three fours, they slotted into second on eight faults behind the rampaging Germans who won it on four without having to jump their captain Ludger Beerbaum.

In the first round, both Billy Twomey on Diaghilev and Anthony Condon on Aristio went clear. Counting a four from Bertram on Molly Molone, they were tied for third with Belgium, Italy and Britain behind zero-scoring Germany and the Netherlands.

There were upsets galore in the second round as both the British and Italians had disastrous tallies. But Ireland stood firm. Condon had one of only five double clears and Shane Breen added another on his Dublin Grand Prix runner-up Golden Hawk. Molly Molone battled her way clear all the way to the second last but with that down, Ireland again counted a four that left them tied with Belgium in second.

Furusiyya Standings

When the points for the season were counted, Ireland finished second in the overall Division 1 Western European standings behind the Netherlands and followed by Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and France. On the strength of their Dublin win, Italy just squeaked into the group of seven going to the Barcelona Final.

Britain, Belgium and the Czech Republic missed out. Ireland’s place is guaranteed not only in the final but in the 2017 version of the league as well. Just what form that will take is still to be determined. At the post Aga Khan press conference in Dublin, we asked FEI show jumping director John Roche about the 2017 format and sponsorship. He replied that they were happy with the current format of the FEI Nations Cup series. However, regarding the continuance of the Saudi Arabian Furusiyya sponsorship, he was non-committal.

“We will have to wait and see,” he said. Perhaps we will hear more when this year’s €2m final takes place in Barcelona on 16th-18th of September.