Bertram’s big win
Stunning success for Allen in Toronto
WEXFORD’S BERTRAM Allen claimed a stunning victory in the $210,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup in Toronto on Saturday night at a sold-out Coca-Cola Coliseum which was packed to maximum capacity, with a crowd of 6,631 in attendance.
When four riders jumped clear over Michel Vaillancourt’s course to advance to the jump-off, speed became the name of the game.
The times became faster and faster until 24-year-old Allen, the final challenger, brought the crowd to its feet with a thrilling jump-off performance, riding GK Casper in a time of 34.70 seconds to overtake Belgium’s Jos Verlooy, who had stopped the clock in 35.41 seconds aboard Igor.
‘This is a super show,’ said Allen, who was making his Royal Horse Show debut in Ontario.
‘I didn’t have my best week until tonight, but it all came together. It’s one of the biggest classes that GK
Casper has jumped and his first World Cup.
‘It was hard, but I knew if I got the first round behind me, I didn’t have to worry about the jumps as much in the second round. I could really give it a lash.
‘He’s always been a fantastic jumper, but it has taken him longer to get to this height,’ continued Allen of his eleven-year-old Holsteiner stallion. ‘Most horses start their first season off doing this at about nine, but this is his first season now.’
In addition to hosting the Hickstead Trophy, named in memory of Canadian Olympic champion Eric Lamaze’s legendary mount, Allen also claimed valuable qualifying points for the 2020 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup final in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Allen brought the sold-out crowd to its feet with his last to first victory. Having landed off the final fence, the crowd rose to acclaim the superb round of the Wexford man as his horse, GK Casper, scaled the final jump with a superb leap to send Allen into top spot for the leading prize.
‘That’s what it’s all about. Everyone wants to win the Grand Prix, last to go, in front of a full house. It was one that I really wasn’t expecting, so it made it all the more sweet,’ he added.
Allen has had the eleven-yearold for five years, and his patience with the gelding is paying off in spades.
‘He’s always been fantastic,’ Allen said. ‘He’s a very good jumper and very careful. It’s taken him longer to get to this height. I’ve always said whatever he can jump, he can win.
‘I knew he could be very competitive over here for these few weeks. He had been jumping fantastic, but we were just missing the last bit of luck. It all came through today.’
The win comes just weeks after the retirement of the mare who took Allen to the top.
Molly Malone V took the Wexford rider from the Juniors to his first Senior championship, with numerous Grand Prix wins along the way.
The grey mare was spotted by Bertram’s father, Bert, as a five-year-old, and he bought her for Billy Twomey and Anthony Condon to produce.
Bertram took on the ride three years later and the pair wont on to win individual silver at the 2013 Junior European Championships in Spain, starting out on a marvellous partnership.
‘Molly propelled me to the top of our sport at a very young age, and for that, I will be eternally grateful,’ Bertram said.
‘We now look forward to the future where Molly will enter a new era of her career as a breeding mare.’