Nations Cup glory too, with Burke, Brennan and Derwin among individual winnersCiaran Nallon was a five-star winner this week at Rabats closing leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour, during which he has been a consistently high achiever this year.The Mayo man also helped his team to second in the last Global Champions League competition, with his team, Riesenbeck International having already bagged the overall title.There were a number of other strong performances from Irish riders in top level competition, with Denis Lynch in particular maintaining his stunning consistency to place second in Sundays Grand Prix and finish third overall in the individual standings.The Tipperary rider and Kildare native, Mikey Pender joined forces to finish third in the team contest and ensured that they would also take the bronze position in the overall standings.At Lyons World Cup show, Mark McAuley posted two top-four results, including a brilliant third-place return in the Equita Masters and a fourth in the Grand Prix.Elsewhere, Galwegian Jessica Burke was a dramatic winner of the three-star Grand Prix in Vejer de la Frontera, where Westmeath athlete, Francis Derwin was a two-star victor.The highlight for the Irish, however, was the duo joining forces with Dermott Lennon and Tom Wachman to win the Nations Cup for third year in a row, and the first under the stewardship of Jessica Krten.Meanwhile, also in Spain, Kilkenny pilot, Eoin Brennan, scored at two-star level in Oliva.Nallon delivered his sensational victory aboard Christians Carado, owned by Beerbaum Stables, in Saturdays 1.50m Prix Ministre de la Jeunesse, de la Culture et des Sports, holding off a star-studded field in Rabat.First to enter the arena in an 11-horse jump-off, the Ballymacredmond rider and his talented horse (below and top) attacked the course with gusto, without compromising their accuracy. The pair set a blistering time of 39.65 seconds, which in conjunction with a flawless clear would prove impossible to beat. Some were quicker but could not navigate all the obstacles. Those that left the rails in place were not quick enough.Italys Emanuele Gaudiano was the nearest challenger, with Nikolaj de Music. Producing another exceptional clear, Gaudiano stopped the clock in 40.26 seconds, just 0.61 behind the winner, to secure second place. Germanys Christian Ahlmann was third with Diamantino.I honestly wasnt expecting this at all, so it makes the win even more special, said a smiling Nallon.To go first in the jump-off against so many incredible riders, you never really think your time is going to be enough, so I was just hoping Id done enough to be competitive. To watch everyone else come in and not quite catch us was an unbelievable feeling. It really means a lot to me, especially at this stage of my career, and Im so grateful to the whole team behind us that make moments like this possible.Rabat is an amazing event, the venue is incredible and the whole show is organised to such a high standard. To win here, against this level of competition, is something Ill remember for a very long time.Nallon was also a major contributor as Riesenbeck International finished second at the end of the two speed competitions, just ahead of the New York Empire team of Lynch and Pender.In the opening class, Nallon and Inglesias D.V. (EARL Global Dreams Stables & Jerome Lassime) jumped clear but picked up two time faults, and then, he came back out for the second class and went clear with Christians Carado.The New York Empire team spearheaded by Lynch and Pender took the bronze medal. Lynch had three time faults in the first speed class with Cordial (Onyx Consulting Y Tipperarys Finest) and followed up with a clear on his other 17-year-old marvel Brooklyn Heights. Pender made sure to keep the rails intact with two rounds of one time fault each on the Irish Sport Horse he owns and bred, Madgeslane Louis.Nallon was ecstatic with the overall victory for his German-based team.I honestly struggle to find the words to describe what this means to me, he declared. This year has been absolutely indescribable, and to be part of a team alongside some of the biggest names in our sport, and to have been able to contribute to their success along the way, is a dream come true. To ride alongside the best riders in the world, with the support of the best management team, is an incredible privilege. It has been a year I will never forget, and an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life.Lynch was pleased also.First of all, we have had incredible support from our team owner, Georgina (Bloomberg), throughout the entire season, and that has been hugely important to us. Every single person in this team has a role to play, and everyone has given 150% from start to finish. I think this is our best championship result, certainly since I joined the team, so to finish third overall is something we can all be extremely proud of.Maintaining that level of focus and commitment throughout such a long season when everyone gives their absolute best, the results follow. I always compare it to a football team. You look to your left and to your right, and when you know you have great people beside you who are giving everything for the team, it makes all the difference. That is exactly the feeling we have at New York Empire, and I think that has been key to our success this year.Nallon threatened to take out another big prize when making the jump-off for Sundays lucrative Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Rabat, where he was joined in the battle for a share of the pot and the prestigious title by Lynch and Harry Allen.The jump-off went very wrong for Nallon and Iglesias D.V., however, and they finished ninth with 31 faults that included 23 time faults. That still earned more than 12,000 and it was a memorable week once more for the German-based rider.Lynch was the man who went closest to prompting a rendition of Amhrn na bhFiann in the Moroccan capital, guiding the remarkable Cordial (above) to the runner-up berth.The venerable stallion was fresh as a daisy in the jump-off and was one of only two horses to keep all the obstacles in place. And when the timers froze, the son of Casall and his Tipperary town pilot were just 11 hundredths of a second shy of the 201,993 pot won by Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli (SWE), with Iron Dames Calvino II de Nyze Z.However, their safe jumping was enough for another top-flight podium for the pairing, and the plum sum of more than 120,000.Christian Ahlmann (GER) and Untouched LB were third, having clocked the fastest time in the jump-off but with a rail down.Allen and Aloga Stables Edison de Hus were last to have a tilt at the eye-popping first prize but unfortunately also had four faults. The Enniscorthy athlete made sure to keep going forward , however, and their time was fast enough to claim a considerable share of the prize money in fourth.Finishing third overall was a reward for Lynchs support of the series, and consistency in it, since the begging of the year.First of all, a big thank you once again to Jan (Tops) and his entire team for what they have delivered here this weekend and all year. It really is incredible, and we are very lucky to be able to compete at events like this. For me, our goal from the beginning was the team, and when you are riding for a strong team and performing consistently, you naturally put yourself in a good position in the Grand Prix and the overall championship as well. Finishing third in the individual championship is really the icing on the cake.Of course, I have also been incredibly fortunate to have Cordial, who has been an unbelievable horse for me and so consistent throughout the season. He has played a huge part in everything we have achieved. Now we look ahead to Verona, and I think it is going to be very exciting. There are so many strong combinations heading into the Playoffs, and I am sure it will be another spectacular event, just as we have seen in Prague and Riyadh in previous years. I am really looking forward to it. I will be bringing my best horses, making sure I am on top of my own game and giving it absolutely everything.Mark McAuley (above) narrowly missed out on a podium in the Longines Grand Prix at Equita Lyon, guiding the exciting Clooney van Spalbeek Z (SCEA La Tuiliere) to the jump-off with a brilliant clear. Only Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) managed a double clear, with Hylanderhofs Saruschka, but the Irish combo recorded the second-fastest of seven scores of four faults to finish fourth.The pair edged their way onto the plinth 24 hours later, however, in the Equita Masters, the signature class at the Concours Hippique International. This was an incredibly competitive and rigorous class, in which no combination managed to record a tally of zero faults.McAuley and Clooney ensured they would make the top 13 progressing to the second round by being one of only there combinations to go clear first time around.There were lots of time faults, as riders chose a safety-first policy and this strategy continued as the final group returned minus two of the qualified bakers dozen.By the time McAuley and his nine-year-old entered the arena, it was home favourite Pnlope Leprvost who had the lead, she and Hileklaire Un Prince adding two time faults to the one registered in her opening outing, and significantly, a second round time of 53.97.As the penultimate athlete, the Louth man opted to ensure he avoided any jumping blemishes too, to secure what would be a magnificent podium in such a prestigious class with a young horse, and he was penalised three points for exceeding the time limit in 54.79.That had him in the silver medal position momentarily but Martin Fuchs (SUI) bumped him down a slot by getting the balance between jumping and time sufficiently right to claim victory, picking up one time fault on his first five-star outing with Fave dAuthuit.Unfortunately, McAuley also had time trouble in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup, as he and Rossi vd Hefflink (SCEA La Tuiliere) missed out on the jump-off by virtue of being 0.74 seconds outside the time allowed of 79, incurring one time fault.Frano Derwin and Parvati AEG, his own 11-year-old mare, are in a rich vein of form at present, and they made it a second victory in three shows in Fridays two-star speed class in Vejer de la Frontera.The Athlone equestrian and his fast chestnut were second of a whopping 93 contestants to take on the 1.45m test but one by one, they all fell by the wayside, failing to threaten the clear round in 62.31 posted by the duo.In the end, they had more than a second to spare from Briton Matthew Sampson, who guided his Michael Kelly-bred Irish Sport Horse, the Pacino gelding Latte Macchiato, around in 63.40.They would go on to finish fifth in Saturdays two-star Stephex Grand Prix, posting the quickest time in the jump-off but having a rail down to deny them victory.Also on Saturday, Jessica Burke stewarded BWE Windsor (ISH) to fourth in a three-star 1.50m jump-off class. It was a brilliant effort by the Brian McConville-owned-and-bred eight-year-old, who registered two excellent clear rounds and showed plenty of speed too to stop the timers in 28.92. Darragh Ryan and the nine-year-old As You Want Z (Mary Elle De Ruschi) also had a good class, finishing sixth after bagging a time that was an exact second slower than Burke.Burke brought the curtain down on the week with victory in the three-star Grand Prix, the Gort athlete launching a smash-and-grab effort in the three-star Andaluca Grand Prix (above).In the end, however, there was no doubting the dominance of the Galway native and Liam Nicholas Fly For You, when the smoke cleared.There were six combatants in the tiebreaker, having cleared the initial 16 jumping efforts, and Derwin and Flexi K were looking like the unluckiest of pairings, when they arrived and appeared to do everything right, but failed by just two hundredths of a second (35.36) to supplant Germanys Jens Wawrauschek and Mava S at the top of the rankings.Burke removed any lingering feelings of regret her compatriot might have felt, however, even if she bumped him down to third. The westerner and her 11-year-old mare were electric, and clean, and their time of 34.56 brought about an airing of the National Anthem and a joyous victory lap (below).By then, Burke and Derwin had joined forces with Dermott Lennon and Tom Wachman to win the three-star Nations Cup on Friday. It was the third year in succession for the Green Jackets to prevail, thanks to a cumulative tally of four faults.That was what they carried from the first round after a great start thanks to clean sheets from their individual winners during the week Derwin, with the Knightfield Stud-bred Irish Sport Horse Flexi K (Kerry Anne) and Burke with Billy Fern (Ballyward Equestrian), the latter duo ending up recording the fastest double clear of the event.Goolds Cross rider, Tom Wachman and Do It Easy (Coolmore Showjumping) had the drop score of the opening round, with Down native, Dermott Lennon providing the counting four faults with another Irish Sport Horse, the Gerrard Marron-bred Right On Time (ISH).They repeated that effort second time out but by then, Derwin and Flexi K, and Burke and Billy Fern had maintained perfection, and Wachman and Do It Easy also went clear to cement the victory in the Don Antonio arena.Friday turned out to be a red-letter day for Irish show jumping, as Eoin Brennan raised the Tricolour in Oliva with Augustus Z, owned and bred by his father Tim. The pair had more than two seconds in hand in the jump-off of the Grand Prix qualifier on the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour.The Kilkenny pilot excelled in the cockpit, as did the eight-year-old gelding in galloping to victory in Fridays GP Qualifier in the Oliva Nova arena. They never touched a pole in a consummate round of jumping, while displaying the easy athleticism so crucial in speed events.There were 71 participants but only one likely winner once the Irish pair(below) rocketed to a phenomenal time of 62.54, which was more than two seconds quicker than that recorded by the runner-up, Graham Babes (GBR) with Monks I Am Casall.The show ended with two Irish in the jump-off for the Grand Prix, and it is worth noting the performance of 73-year-old Belgooly maestro, Robert Splaine, the former national chef dquipe who guided Sarah Devines Laranco to seventh, after having a rail down in the jump-off. That placed him just ahead of Sligos Richard Howley, with Caprice dElle (Esm Equestrian)Conor Swail remained in Mexico for the three-star show in San Man Miguel de Allende, and Theo 160 (Mannon Farm) provided a silver medal on Thursday evening Irish time, just four days after his five-star heroics.There were nine clear rounds despite it being a fairly difficult test for , with an average of 6.4 faults per combination, and while six of those backed that up in the jump-off, the home win for Nicolas Pizarro, with Calua Blue PS, was dominant, via a time of 36.14. Theo and his Darragh Cross partner were second, in 37.45.There was another podium for Michael Duffy and Camina Z (Christoph Kuck) on Thursday, the duo repeating their runner-up return from last week by narrowly missing out on the top spot in a speed class at the two-star event in Riesenbeck.Hessel Hoekstra (NED) and Stargos VDL held the lead in the 1.45m class with a clear in 59.85 when the Turloughmore athlete trotted in with his nine-year-old grey stallion and they did everything bar snatch the major ribbon, stopping the clock a tenth of a second shy, in 59.95.Bertram Allen guided Danger 76 (Turn A Blind Eye) to third in Fridays Grand Prix Qualifier at the Peelbergen two-star show on Thursday. The 1.45m speed class was won by Giampiero Garofalo (ITA) with Kadessa Z, going clear in 65.35.Allen and his nine-year-old gelding were just under a second behind that standard in the EquiHome Arena, registering 66.34 to grab a significant share of the prize fund.BREEDINGMADGESLANE LOUIS (ISH) 2017 ch gelding by Luidam (KWPN) out of Madges Lane Karol (ISH) by Obos Quality 004 (OLDBG). Breeder: Michael Pender: Owner: Pender Sport Horses. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL)LATTE MACCHIATO (ISH) 2013 gelding by Pacino (BWP) out of Torboy Lady (ISH)[TIH] by Boherdeal Clover (ISH)[TIH]. Breeder: Michael Kelly, Co. Longford. Owner: HMF Equestrian. Rider: Matthew Sampson (GBR).FLEXI K (ISH) 2013 gelding by Flex A Bill (ISH)[TIH] out of Deeply Dippy K (ISH) by Luidam (KWPN). Breeder: Knightfield Stud, Co Kildare. Owner: Kerry Anne LLC. Rider: Francis Derwin (IRL)KINMAR RIGHT ON TIME (ISH) 2017 br gelding by Aganix du Seigneur (SBS) out of Kinmar Dancing Queen (ISH) by Dancing Boy (ISH) Breeder: Gerry Marron, Corduff, Co Monaghan. Rider: Dermott Lennon (IRL)PHOTO CREDITSDenis Lynch/Ciaran Nallon: LGCTJessica Burke/Nations Cup: Moiss BasalloteEoin Brennan: METThe post Nallon nails it in Rabat appeared first on .