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Dermott Lennon wins Ireland’s first gold at the World Championships

Ireland’s Dermott Lennon’s quiet touch enabled led him to get the best out of four completely different horses to clinch gold for the first time for Ireland in the final of the individual show jumping championships at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez.

The format, which is unique to the World Championships, sees four top individual competitors ride each other’s horses.

Dermott rode three clears (France’s Eric Navet’s Dollar Du Murier, America’s Fein Cera and his own Lisgalot), faulting just once on Sweden’s Helena Lundback’s horse Utfors Mynta.

Dermott, 33, is the son of a cattle dealer from Banbridge, Co Down. He started competing internationally in 1999, forming a crucial part of Ireland’s record 10 Nations Cup wins in the 2000 season and winning team gold at last year’s Europeans.

After his historic win, Dermott said: “My ownhorse was definitely the easiest. I just rode each horse as it came.”Silver medallist Eric Navet was sporting in defeat:”Dermott was brilliant. He didn’t make any mistakes and he deserved to win. He is a real World Champion.”

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