show jumping sensation Bertram Allen has been named The Irish Field Show Jumper of the Year for the second successive year. The 20-year-old Wexford rider flew home to Ireland on Monday to accept his prestigious award at the K Club in Co Kildare. Currently ranked number nine in the Longines world rankings, Allen has taken the global show jumping world by storm in the past 12 months, posting win after win on the international circuit. Among his many top results for 2015 were his third place podium finish in the World Cup Final in Las Vegas with Molly Malone V in April and becoming the youngest rider ever to win a Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Paris in July with Romanov. However his personal highlight was his role in helping the Irish senior show jumping team to win the Aga Khan Nations Cup on home soil at the Dublin Horse Show in August. Nominated for an FEI Rising Star Award, Allen is on course to earn Ireland a place in the individual show jumping competition at this summer’s Rio Olympics. Accepting his award, Bertram Allen said: “It’s always nice to get the recognition at home. It was an incredible year. The highlight for me was definitely the Aga Khan win in August. “Hopefully me and Denis (Lynch) are going to win two qualifying spots for Rio, he’s going really good as well so that’s going to be the big goal for this year. The Olympics is the pinnacle of any sportsman’s career, it’s the one that everyone wants. “It (2016) is going to be a very busy year and we are probably looking at doing four Nations Cup events. I’ll have to sit down with Robert Splaine (Irish chef d’equipe) and look at the schedule nearer the time. It’s a matter of keeping the horses fresh and keeping yourself fresh as well. It’s a huge team effort from everyone involved,” said Allen. Asked what he thought the factors were that had contributed to his enormous success at such a young age, Allen said: “I don’t know but you have to have talent, focus and keep the horses and yourself healthy and happy.” Allen was joined at the awards ceremony by other stars of the Irish equestrian scene including The Irish Field Dressage Rider of the Year Judy Reynolds, The Irish Field Senior Event Rider of the Year Michael Ryan, The Irish Field Junior Event Rider of the Year Cathal Daniels and The Irish Field Junior Show Jumper of the Year Jennifer Kuehnle.
show jumping sensation Bertram Allen has been named The Irish Field Show Jumper of the Year for the second successive year. The 20-year-old Wexford rider flew home to Ireland on Monday to accept his prestigious award at the K Club in Co Kildare. Currently ranked number nine in the Longines world rankings, Allen has taken the global show jumping world by storm in the past 12 months, posting win after win on the international circuit. Among his many top results for 2015 were his third place podium finish in the World Cup Final in Las Vegas with Molly Malone V in April and becoming the youngest rider ever to win a Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Paris in July with Romanov. However his personal highlight was his role in helping the Irish senior show jumping team to win the Aga Khan Nations Cup on home soil at the Dublin Horse Show in August. Nominated for an FEI Rising Star Award, Allen is on course to earn Ireland a place in the individual show jumping competition at this summer’s Rio Olympics. Accepting his award, Bertram Allen said: “It’s always nice to get the recognition at home. It was an incredible year. The highlight for me was definitely the Aga Khan win in August. “Hopefully me and Denis (Lynch) are going to win two qualifying spots for Rio, he’s going really good as well so that’s going to be the big goal for this year. The Olympics is the pinnacle of any sportsman’s career, it’s the one that everyone wants. “It (2016) is going to be a very busy year and we are probably looking at doing four Nations Cup events. I’ll have to sit down with Robert Splaine (Irish chef d’equipe) and look at the schedule nearer the time. It’s a matter of keeping the horses fresh and keeping yourself fresh as well. It’s a huge team effort from everyone involved,” said Allen. Asked what he thought the factors were that had contributed to his enormous success at such a young age, Allen said: “I don’t know but you have to have talent, focus and keep the horses and yourself healthy and happy.” Allen was joined at the awards ceremony by other stars of the Irish equestrian scene including The Irish Field Dressage Rider of the Year Judy Reynolds, The Irish Field Senior Event Rider of the Year Michael Ryan, The Irish Field Junior Event Rider of the Year Cathal Daniels and The Irish Field Junior Show Jumper of the Year Jennifer Kuehnle.