It needed a boss to close the 100th Dublin Horse Show. There were even forty of them at the start of the Rolex Grand Prix, but after a 1.60m course designed by Alan Wade and a nine-way jump-off, Steve Guerdat brought everyone back into line. With Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte, the Swiss rider finished ahead of Ireland’s Jordan Coyle and the Netherlands’ Arne Van Heel. One last glass of champagne for a weekend Guerdat had already done plenty to enliven.

Forty at the table, nine for dessert

Dublin’s Sunday Grand Prix always feels a little like the end of a big family meal. Everyone has spent the week together, plenty has already been said, sometimes shouted, and a few people still have a score or two to settle before hitting the road.

There were forty of them sitting down at the final big table of the weekend, with a 1.60m menu cooked up by Alan Wade. The Irish course designer, who will also design the Olympic courses in Los Angeles in 2028, had prepared enough to sort them out without turning the Main Arena into a collective indigestion.

Arne Van Heel was the first to make his speech with Keaton HV , and the Dutch rider also delivered the first clear round of the afternoon, quickly proving that the course could be completed without damage.

Jordan Coyle and Chaccolino then followed suit. The Irishman, at home and already very much in the spotlight during the week, also invited himself into the jump-off.

Then came John Whitaker. The great-uncle everyone still listens to when he starts telling a story. At 71, the Briton continues to sit at the finest tables on the circuit, but Dublin’s would leave a more bitter taste this time: 10 faults with Equine America Unick du Francport.

But there are still a few spare seats: one for Michael Byrne and one for Richard Vogel.

The Belgians stay at the door

On the Belgian side, the Sunday lunch was harder to digest.

Jérôme Guéry signed the best performance of the clan with 4 faults. Quito de Mariposa, for his part, continues to send encouraging signals: the pair is gaining in maturity and seems to be gradually moving closer to the level required to matter in this kind of appointment.

Next in, Frédéric Vernaet finished with 5 faults, Nicola Philippaerts with 12, whileOlivier Philippaerts left the arena with 17 faults.

No Belgian in the jump-off, then. After a busy Dublin week, they will have to wait for another opportunity to extend the evening.

The French, meanwhile, had a little revenge to take after a difficult Nations Cup on Friday. Nicolas Sers, already the one who did more than limit the damage in the team class, once again answered present. This time, Olivier Robert joined him in the jump-off with Iglesias D.V.

The one who knows the menu by heart joins the party: Steve Guerdat delivers another clear round.

Micky Pender was also part of the cast. And to add even more pedigree to this final act, Rodrigo Pessoa qualified with Major Tom.

Nine combinations. Dessert could be served.

Coyle gets Dublin on its feet

rne Van Heel returned first and left nothing lying around. Keaton HV completed a second clear round in 41.47 seconds. Clean, sharp, without waste.

But Jordan Coyle clearly had no intention of leaving his own meal before getting the place going.

With Chaccolino, the Irishman attacked. Some distances were taken with appetite, but everything stayed up. When he crossed the line in 39.27, Dublin understood that the bar had just been raised a notch.

There was still, however, a Swiss cousin at the end of the table.

Not necessarily the one who talks the loudest. More the one everyone listens to when he decides to give a lesson.

Steve Guerdat entered with Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte and did what Steve Guerdat has known how to do for almost two decades: make something terribly difficult look terribly simple.

The Swiss rider cut his lines, kept his horse available and stopped the clock in 37.81 seconds.

Coyle had just taken almost a second and a half.

And Dublin had its new leader.

Byrne impeccable, the others crack

At family meals, there is always one person who represents the flag and wears his finest uniform. The one not everyone knows, but everyone already respects. Lieutenant Michaeli Byrne was that woman on Sunday. After a first round received ten out of ten, the rider gave the Irish public another reason to be happy. With MSH Claregalway, the military man produced a controlled clear jump-off in 44.27. Not fast enough to threaten Guerdat, but solid enough to earn a remarkable fourth place.

Sers was more than in the mix on the clock, but he came unstuck at the final fence at the end of a remarkable round.

Olivier Robert then tries his luck with Iglesias D.V. The Frenchman takes risks, but a fault at the entrance to the Rolex double ends his podium ambitions.

Same punishment for Michael Pender. The young Irishman, who no longer has much of the “little Mikey” discovered a few years ago, now fully belongs at this table. But four faults prevented him from keeping the conversation going until the end.

Ireland’s hopes of victory disappeared for good.

Richard Vogel could then prepare the ground. The German will soon be hosting the family in Aachen, and with Cloudio he offered a small preview of what will have to be watched. The rhythm was there, the ambition too, but an average distance cost him a fault on an oxer.

Four faults.

Rodrigo Pessoa was then the last man who could prevent Guerdat from leaving with the trophy. With Major Tom, the Brazilian still has that elegance and Grand Prix science that travel through generations.

But in the same place as Vogel, the trap closed.

One rail fell.

This time, it was over.

Guerdat, again and always

Steve Guerdat could smile.

With Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte, the Swiss rider won the Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin. His third 1.60m victory of the year after the two World Cups in Leipzig and Helsinki. This time, he finished ahead of Jordan Coyle and Chaccolino, while Arne Van Heel and Keaton HV completed the podium. Lieutenant Michael Byrne took fourth place ahead of Nicolas Sers. Only the first four managed to keep a clean score over the two rounds.

bove all, it was a victory that capped off a particularly solid Dublin week for Guerdat, who had already delivered a double clear in Friday’s Nations Cup.

In Dublin, the family meal could therefore come to an end.

And when it was time to settle the bill, it was once again Steve Guerdat who had taken out the card.

Find the full results of the 5* Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin here

(Photos © Rolex Series)