‘He’s a special character’: Olympic horse returns to the top level with a win a year after injury

Showjumper Bertram Allen’s Tokyo Olympic ride Pacino Amiro has returned to his best with a win at the top level after he was sidelined to injury.

Bertram and the 13-year-old Irish sport horse gelding, known at home as Buddy, beat 34 combinations to win a 1.50m class on Saturday (21 June) at the Rotterdam CSIO5* Longines League of Nations. The competition is Pacino Amiro’s first five-star appearance since CHIO Aachen last July, where he and Bertram helped Ireland win the Nations Cup leg.

Following Aachen the pair were named travelling reserves for the Irish team at the Paris Olympics, but Buddy picked up an injury, ruling them out. They returned to international competition at Kronenberg in April and have been building back up.

“We’ve been spending a lot of time getting him going again, getting him fit, and we’re very lucky to have such good grooms, vets and farriers. Everybody put a lot of effort into him,” said Bertram.

“He just has a fantastic mind. This is the first time we tried to win something in a year and he responds and fights with you, so it makes it fun. I had this feeling that it’s the right time.”

Bertram opted to jump in the 1.50m class, rather than the Rotterdam 1.60m grand prix, believing “maybe it was one show too early”.

“He’s obviously a great horse and has a lot of great results but he’s a special character and I’m very fond of him. Everybody that looks after him really likes him. He’s just a really friendly, nice horse,” he said.

Bertram and Buddy were part of the Irish team at the Tokyo Olympics, where they finished 15th individually, and the 2022 World Championships, where Ireland was fourth. The pair have enjoyed top placings and wins around the world including Spruce Meadows, Canada, Wellington, Florida and Stockholm.

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