Dermott Lennon triumphs in Royal Windsor grand prix
Irishman Dermott Lennon lifted the €13,000 top prize in a gripping finale to Sunday’s CSI3* Alltech grand prix at Royal Windsor Horse Show (13-17 May).
Riding the 13-year-old Limmerick mare, who has shown such consistent form of late, the pair swooped round in a four-rider jump-off to take the spoils.
“With only four in it, if you don’t go well you’re fourth so you might as well try,” said Dermott, who was nearly 2sec quicker than his rivals on his first visit to the show in almost a decade.
British riders filled the next two places in the prize-giving with last year’s winner Robert Whitaker taking the runner-up spot on Catwalk IV and 21-year-old Yazmin Pinchen slotting in to third on the 12-year-old stallion Van De Vivaldi.
Michel Hecart of France was the unlucky fourth placed rider on Quatrin De La Roque.
But most unfortunate of all were the trio who finished round one clear for jumping but with a time-fault apiece — Robert Smith (Bavi), Tim Page (Santa Cruise) and John Whitaker (Castlefield Cristobal 21). They filled fifth, sixth and seventh places respectively in a strong class for the home contingent.
Earlier in the day, Laura Renwick snatched her second victory of the five-day show. The Essex-based rider scored a somewhat unlikely success in the 1.40m speed stakes in the Castle Arena riding Rembrandt Blue — fastest of the 22 starters, despite 8seconds to add with two fences down.
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“That must go down as one of my luckiest wins!” she said.
The Windsor one-star grand prix was won by US rider Emma Heise on Viper Vrombautshoeve Z, with Great Britain’s Nina Barbour finishing second on the 15-year-old gelding Calle.
Don’t miss the full report covering all the action at the CHI Royal Windsor Horse Show in next week’s issue of Horse & Hound, out Thursday 21 May.
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.