Eoin Gallagher makes it a double in the Spring MET II Young Horse Finals presented by Kingsland

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Eoin Gallagher makes it a double in the Spring MET II Young Horse Finals presented by Kingsland

Eoin Gallagher makes it a double in the Spring MET II Young Horse Finals presented by Kingsland

The Spring MET II 2019 has reached its third and last week of competition, and on Wednesday it was time for the young horses to shine in the finals for 5-, 6- and 7-year-olds presented by Kingsland. While Eoin Gallagher (IRL) and his young talents dominated in the 5- and 6-year-old finals, Angelica Augustsson (SWE) claimed the victory for 7-year-old horses

The biggest track of the day was built for the 7-year-olds, with the fences set at 1.40m. A total of 21 out of the 63 horse-and-rider combinations in the class went clear and moved on to the jump-off, with twelve managing to repeat their clean sheets against the clock.

Fastest was Angelica Augustsson (SWE) on the mare Cosa Bastante (Conthargos x Elite), with 0.07 seconds separating the two from runners-up Serena Curcio (ITA) and Catharina VA (Cachas x Contender). Third place went to Anna Wilks (GBR) on Mijnheer van de Lentamel (Emerald van ‘t Ruytershof x Toulon).

“We bought her when she had just turned six. I did a few shows with her, but she was very green,” Augustsson said about Cosa Bastante. “When I got pregnant, I put her on the field and I just got her back before coming here. During Spring MET I, she was second in the final and now she won it – I am actually surprised. I knew she was good, but still she is green. Cosa Bastante is like a lion in the ring though, nothing scares her – she is really cool.”

“I am always happy to come back here to the MET, we come here every year,” Augustsson said about the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour. “And the new footing in the Oliva Nova arena is beautiful.”

Eoin Gallagher made it a double of wins

 

For the 5- and 6- year-olds, it was Eoin Gallagher (IRL) that stole the show. The Irish rider piloted the stallion Ibesi Cooper (Zambesi x Concorde) to victory in the 6-year old class, and OS Meursault (Typhoon S x Clarimo) to the win in the 5-year-old class.

“Ibesi Cooper won last week, and again today. I had a faster time than I thought, actually I did not think I could beat second-placed Thomas Whitaker,” Gallagher said after taking the win by nearly a second. “I can trust Ibesi Cooper to be clear, I am very pleased with him.”

“Both horses have not had a fence down the whole tour. They have jumped clear every day, and OS Meursault was third the first week, second last week and won today. I am very happy for Oakingham Stud to have such a good day.”

“It is my first time here at the MET,” Gallagher said. “We have a lot of horses here, but it is easy to manage with these three arenas. I can see most of them, this is a great place to produce horses for a couple of months.”

In the 6-year-old final, which was set at 1.30m, Thomas Whitaker (GBR) finished second on Django de Paulanne (Untouchable x Diamant de Semilly) while third place went to Loic Cannaert (BEL) on E-Risingson Z (Elvis Ter Putte x Concorde).

For the 5-year-olds, that jumped a 1.15m course, Yves Houtackers (NED) finished second with Diamonds du Toultia Z (Diamant de Semilly x Eros Platiere) and Dayro Arroyave (COL) third with Jemiralda Newpeat (Emerald van het Ruytershof x Namelus R).

The Spring MET II 2019 continues throughout the week, and concludes on Sunday with the CSI3* Grand Prix presented by Oliva Nova Beach and Golf Resort.

Click here for full results.

Photo © Hervé Bonnaud / www.1clicphoto.com.
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