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Results CSI5*-W 7 Nov: Premio Carnia Welcome.— 1, Jesus de la Commune (LM Moneta) ITA; 2, Loro Piana Viper (R Arioldi) ITA; 3, Quadrige du Don (R Previtall) ITA; 8, Velini (M Whitaker) GBR. Premio Selleria Equipe.— 1, Wild Thing (B Allen) IRL; 2, Andrea (A Alsharbatly) KSA; 3, Domingo (N Bruynseels) BEL. Premio Prestige.— 1, Nice Stephanie (P Leprevost) FRA; 2, Clarimo Ask (RG Bengtsson) SWE; 3, Lord Sandro DDH (B Bles) NED. 8 Nov: Premio Equiline.— 1, Fixdesign Pop Lady d’Elle (G Martinengo Marquet) ITA; 2, Sultane des Ibis (P Leprevost) FRA; 3, Grand Balou 4 (G Gulliksen) NOR. Premio Miasuki.— 1, Zoe II (L de Luca) ITA; 2, Upanisad Di San Patrignano (J Richard Phillips) SUI; 3, Uptown Boy (J Sprunger) SUI; 4, Fandango (W Whitaker) GBR. Premio BMW.— 1, Domingo (N Bruynseels) BEL; 2, Pin Up Ouistreham (K Offel) UKR; 3, Wings Sublieme (B Maher) GBR; 10, Bow House Rubis (W Whitaker) GBR. 9 Nov: Premio Fixdesign.— 1, Moca De Mescam (JC Garcia) ITA; 2, Ornella Mail HDC (P Delaveau) FRA; 3, Fleur de Kalvarie (O Philippaerts). Longines Premio Fixdesign.— 1, Molly Malone V (B Allen) IRL; 2, VDL Groep Verdi TN N.O.P. (Mvd Vleuten) NED; 3, Cornado NRW (M Ehning) GER; 7, Viking (M Whitaker) GBR. Jennifer Donald Edited by BEYOND THE JUMPING THE World Cup was held at the annual Fiera Cavalli (horse festival), where everything from the equestrian world is put on show for three days. The grey skies and rainy weather that the weekend brought didn’t stop the crowds piling in to see what the show had on offer. The nightly entertainment — the Gala d’Oro — was perhaps the highlight of the weekend. This year the show, “Visions”, featured horses in a stunning choreographed performance, much of which was free reined. During the show they paid tribute to the 100th anniversary of World War I, including mules wearing the original harnesses. For the finale, acrobats spun and flipped their way through the arena while the horses seemed to dance gracefully around them. 70 HORSE & HOUND . 13 NOVEMBER 2014 www.horseandhound.co.uk 13 NOVEMBER 2014 . HORSE & HOUND 71 Great deals on print and iPad subscriptions at www.horseandhoundsubs.co.uk/subs TeenagerAllen wins like‘old pro’ VERONA CSI5*-W, ITALY 7-9 November By Phoebe Tilelli IRELAND’S Bertram Allen, 19, made his first appearance at the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping qualifier in Verona this week. He knows how to make a good first impression. After taking the win on Sunday with his grey mare Molly Malone V, he now holds the first place Jumping Verona title for 2014 and picked up €43,750 (£34,350) in prize-money. The Gran Premio was an exhibition of 15 of the top 17 riders in the world jumping at 1.60m, which Allen breezed through. He proceeded to the jump-off with nine other riders, where spectators were kept on the edge of their seats. Competing second- last, Allen cut every corner and galloped every stretch to his maximum ability to finish in 34.89sec, beating Dutchman Maikel Van Der Vleuten (VDL Groep Verdi) into second by 0.33sec. “It’s my first-ever World Cup qualifier so I’m very proud of my mare,” said Bertram.“It’s one of her first shows since the summer season and she gave 100%. I didn’t expect this result, but I knew she could do it.” Bertram and the 10-year-old Molly Malone have had enormous amount success this year, including victory in the Grand Prix at Dublin Horse Show and seventh place individually at the World Equestrian Games. “My horse is naturally quite fast,” he said.“I did one more stride than some of the others so I was able to get in a good turn to the second jump and everything from there was quite sharp.” Germany’s Marcus Ehning, who came third on Cornado NRW, lives and trains near Bertram in THIS handsome nine-year-old grey (pictured, left) was a favourite among spectators, admired for his striking appearance and strong jumping ability. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, the first-ever female to win the World Cup finals three times (2005, 2008, 2009), found Fibonacci near Falsterbo in Sweden. “There was no question in my mind that I wanted him, and he’s come such a long way in such a short space of time,” she said. “I thought that it wouldn’t be until around this time of year that I would start jumping 1.60m on him, but he went to Aachen in June and jumped clear [at that height] every day. He’s unbelievable! “He has an amazing mind, he’s really positive, very kind and sweet, yet has incredible scope, and I feel really comfortable on him. I can hardly believe how quickly he has matured, and yet I feel we are still only getting to know each other.” HORSE PROFILE Fibonacci, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Germany) “I did a lot of junior classes with Wild Thing — she was my first and best horse for a few years,” said Bertram. The 11-year-old mare is co-owned by Irish competitor Billy Twomey, who has served as a mentor figure to Allen throughout his riding development. Twomey picked up 56 points in Sunday’s Fix Design course, finishing 34th. William sets the bar high WILLIAM WHITAKER was asked on the first day of competition about his chances of picking up the maximum World Cup points on Sunday. “I’ll give it a good try,” he said. His uncle Michael, who trained William from an early age, responded: “And so will I!” They gave it a go but it wasn’t to be, with Michael on Viking placing seventh and William 17th on Fandango. “I think the course builder [Uliano Vezzani] did a good job this week. His courses were challenging for the riders but not unfair on the horses,” said William. In Saturday’s Premio Miasuki mixed comp (1.50/1.55m), William set the bar high on Fandango with the first clear round and a time of 39.97sec — to take eventual fourth. Great Britain’s Ben Maher led most of the competition in Saturday’s 1.50m Premio BMW on Wings Sublieme, finishing third just over 1sec behind the winner, Belgium’s Niels Brynseels. Ukrainian rider Katharina Offel was second. H&H VERONA sponsored by FOCUS Are you reading this H&H outside of the UK? Our digital subscription offers big savings compared with print. Visit www.horseandhound.co.uk/horse-and-hound-digital-magazines today to find out how much you could save From top, Bertram Allen warms up; Michael Whitaker (left) with Billy Twomey; and William Whitaker Marcus Ehning for Germany came third on Cornado NRW Pictures by Stefano Secchi ‘Knows how to make a good impression’: Ireland’s Bertram Allen triumphs at the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping qualifier on Molly Malone V Challenging: William Whitaker ended up in 17th place on Fandango It’s my first-ever World Cup qualifier so I’m very proud of my mare. I knew she could do it BertramAllen on his winning 10-year-old mare Molly MaloneV Pipped into second place: Maikel Van Der Vleuten on VDL Groep Verdi Münster, Germany and said: “I’m delighted that I can help him a few steps along the way in his career. I’m not his full-time trainer but we have worked together for a few years, and we have a good relationship. He made me very proud today.” It should not have been a surprise that Bertram raced around the jump-off course like a pro after his brilliant start to the Verona leg on Friday. He won the 1.50m Selleria Equipe Speed on another mare, Wild Thing, collecting €6,250 (£4,900). Finishing with a clear round in the fastest time of 58.23, he smashed the target of 59.27 set by Abdullah Al Sharbatly.
