Darragh Kenny continues his climb up the Longines FEI world rankings moving up one place to 16th in the figures released this Wednesday.

Kenny’s win in Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix at Knokke in Belgium with Balou du Reventon was one of the key results that contributed to his upward move, as was his fourth place in the previous week’s Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Estoril in Portugal with Important de Muze.

While Kenny is the highest ranked Irish rider, there are also significant rises for Shane Sweetnam, Bertram Allen, Paul O’Shea and Mark McAuley.

Sweetnam is up eight places to 23rd, thanks largely to his double-clear with Alejandro in the Polish Nations Cup, while Bertram Allen is just one place behind after climbing ten notches thanks in part to his third placing in the Knokke Grand Prix with Harley vd Bisschop and a runner-up finish with GK Casper in an earlier class at the meeting.

Paul O’Shea’s double-clear in the Polish Nations Cup with Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu has helped him move up twelve places to 39th, while Mark McAuley jumps five places to 41st.

Denis Lynch remains in the top 50, but is down three rungs to 43rd, Conor Swail is steady in 45th and Shane Breen is in 50th, down eight places.

Outside the top 100 there are significant positive moves for Jordan Coyle, Michael Pender and Peter Moloney.

Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat retains the world number one position with Peder Fredricson of Sweden and Martin Fuchs of Switzerland holding onto second and third places respectively.

Mike Dunne