SHOW JUMPING

Michael Slavin

Billy Twomey sealed his outstanding performances at the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham, with a decisive win in Sunday’s Grand Prix aboard Terry Payne’s gelding Diaghilev.

Twomey already had two wins and three top fives to his credit when he entered the arena, and despite a formidable lineup of challengers, the Irish rider walked away with the €18,000 top prize and the leading show jumper of the year trophy.

The 12 top combinations through to the jump-off found the second round tough. In the end, only Twomey racked up a double clear round.

Waterford’s Anthony Condon also featured in the Grand Prix top 10, with an eighth place on the bay stallion Aristio.

Earlier, Tipperary’s Trevor Breen placed second in the two-phase competition with Irish Sport Horse Oldtown KC – just under a second off the pace of British winner Clark Glasgow and Corlando of Cavallini.

Twomey had already won the speed title with Tin Tin and on Diaghilev he shared first with Michael Whitaker and Helen Treadwell in the Five Fence Challenge.

Twomey and Shane Breen have been selected to represent Ireland at the opening two rounds of the Longines World Cup in Oslo this weekend and Helsinki next week.