Text © World of Showjumping

The newly crowned European Champion and current world no. six, Germany’s Richard Vogel and the 10-year-old Phenyo van het Keysersbos (Corydon van T&L x Heartbreaker) topped Wednesday’s CSIO5* 1.55m Sport Ireland Classic in Dublin, Ireland, where the 2025-edition of Dublin Horse Show kicked off.

Stopping the clock on 67.57 in the 1.55m class judged as a Table A, one round against the clock in the iconic RDS Main Arena, Vogel and Phenyo bested a field of 43 horse-and-rider combinations in the first qualifier for Sunday's Rolex Grand Prix of Ireland, taking the win ahead of the hosts’ very own Michael Pender (IRL) and HHS Los Angeles (Le Roi 10 x Cavalier Royale) in second in 67.88. Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and Dhalida (Diamant de Semilly x Calvaro) placed third in 69.70, while the current world no. eight McLain Ward (USA) and Callas (Casall x Coriano) finished fourth in 69.94, followed by Kevin Jochems (NED) and Prada Di Costa M (Vannan x Gitano) in fifth in 70.08.

Even though the win slipped to Germany, the hosts came in strong, with four Irish in the top ten and Jordan Coyle (IRL) aboard For Gold (For Fashion x Heraldik) posting the fastest time of the competition when crossing the finish line in 66.72. However, a fence down left them 23^rd in the end.