A WEXFORD TEENAGER is, no doubt, gorging himself on luxury chocolates, waffles and [possibly] Duvel beer in Belgium this afternoon following his flawless finish at the Lummen Grand Prix.
18-year-old Bertram Allen took first place and a winners’ cheque of €50,000 after his first place finish at the Grand Prix in Belgium.
In a starting field that saw 50 of the world’s best riders compete for a share of the prize pot on offer, Allen was flawlessly consistent through all three rounds, and recorded one of only two triple clear scores achieved in the competition.
Allen and 10 year-old grey mare Molly Malone V [of Ballywater Farm] finished a third of a second faster than their nearest challenger, 44 year-old Dutch Olympic team medallist Jur Vrieling and his mount.
Irish show jumping manager Robert Splaine commented, “To win a five-star Grand Prix at just 18 is a tremendous achievement for Bertram, and the future is certainly bright for him.
“Bertram also contributed as a team member towards Ireland’s joint third place in the Lummen Nations’ Cup on Friday, and it’s worth noting that all four members of that team have now had individual wins at Lummen. Bertram has polished off what has been a fantastic week for Irish show jumping here.”
– Additional reporting by Colin McClelland
