Bertram Allen

Bertram Allen (born 1 August 1995) is an Irish show jumping rider. Originally from Wexford, he has won international medals at the pony, junior, and senior level. He won the opening round of the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy at age 19, receiving international recognition. Allen is the youngest winner of a Grand Prix on the Longines Global Champions Tour, and was a team gold medalist at the 2017 European Championship in Gothenburg.

He runs his Ballywalter Stables in Hünxe with his sister, April, who manages the operation. Allen has been based in Germany since 2011.

Early life and career

Allen and his six siblings grew up with a strong equestrian influence, since their father owned and developed racehorses. Allen began riding at a local stable, and soon began competing. He then trained with Mag and Con Power; the helped him join Billy Twomey, who has influenced Allen's career. Twomey found Allen's early horses, Romanov, Molly Malone V and Wild Thing L, on whom he was successful. Allen was introduced to Marcus Ehning (whose stable is 20 minutes away from Allen's) around this time, and Ehning became Allen's trainer.

Professional career Allen was successful early on the senior international level. At age 18 he won the opening speed round of the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, finishing seventh overall. Allen finished third overall at the World Cup Jumping Finals in Las Vegas; both were on Molly Malone V. Allen is also the youngest rider to win a 5* Grand Prix on the Global Champions Tour, in Paris in 2015. At the 2015 London International Horse Show, Allen was disqualified due to the "blood rule" when he drew blood from excessive use of spurs.

He was on the gold medal-winning Irish team at the 2017 European Championships with Hector van d'Abdijhoeve, despite a fall during the competition. Allen won the 5* Grand Prix in St. Gallen on Hector van d'Abdijhoeve, in addition to 5* wins in Doha, Mexico City, Hamburg, Helsinki, Olympia London Olympia and at the Dutch Masters. Allen purchased Harley vd Bisschop (a stallion formerly ridden by Nicola Philippaerts) in October of that year, selling Hector van d'Abdijhoeve ro Denis Lynch in January 2019. He and GK Caspar won the World Cup Qualifier at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, and had several wins in 2020 before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2024, he was selected as Ireland's travelling reserve for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. A week before the games, Allen had to rescind his place after his mount, Pacino Amiro sustained a minor injury.

Major results