Denis Lynch gets World Cup campaign underway with Stuttgart runner-up finish

Tipperary’s Denis Lynch produced a strong performance on Sunday in the five-star Longines FEI World Cup Grand Prix at Stuttgart in Germany, securing a runner-up finish in a tough contest that delivered just three first round clears.

Riding the 15-year-old gelding Brooklyn Heights, Lynch was the first to go in the opening round and posted a perfect clear and just two more of the 49 combinations that followed would manage to match Lynch’s clear to set up a three-horse jump-off.

First to go again against the clock, Lynch completed a double clear performance, stopping the clock in 44.37 seconds. French rider Keven Staut had the last fence down when chasing the Irish riders target and would finish third, before home favourite Richard Vogel (GER) and United Touch S produced a brilliant clear round to take victory in a time of 41.39 when last to go. The pair’s seamless performance marked their second triumph in as many weeks, following a spectacular win in Lyon.

When asked if he thought whether going first was the disadvantage that kept him from winning, Lynch laughed: “I’m used to going first—it’s my job in the Irish team. The real disadvantage today was that Richard was in the jump-off.”

Victoria Gulliksen of Norway, though clear over the fences, incurred one time fault in the first round to finish fourth, while Britain’s Tim Gredley, with two time faults, secured fifth place.

Vogel’s Stuttgart success catapulted him to second place in the provisional Western European League standings with 42 points, bolstering his confidence ahead of the Final. Lynch picked up 17 points for his runner-up finish and will now have his eyes set on securing qualification for the final which will take place in Basel (SUI) in early 2025.

The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League heads next to Madrid on 1 December, with subsequent legs in La Coruña, London, and Mechelen rounding out the calendar year.