Huge five-star win for Galway’s Michael Duffy in Miami Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix

Galway’s Michael Duffy has claimed one of the biggest victories of his career, when taking the winners prize of €115,500 in Saturday’s five-star Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Miami Beach in Florida, USA.

In a competition that featured 38 of the world’s top horses and riders, Turloughmore native Duffy and the 12-year-old gelding Claptonn Mouche (Conrad x Elan de la Cour) posted the only double clear of the competition to secure what was his first ever five-star Longines Grand Prix win.

Asked about his plan for the jump-off, 30-year-old Duffy said:

“There wasn’t too much thought in it to be honest, but keep it between the posts and that was about it. It was tough jumping here – a white pole oxer in the jump-off which was delicate. I wanted to be as quick as I could in the jump-off and leave the poles up.”

An emotional Duffy added:

“I want to thank everyone, Helena Stormans and Stephex Stables This is my first five-star Grand Prix win and I want to dedicate it to Patricia and David Dodd, [parents of Jack Dodd, who tragically passed away in June of 2018].”

It was an incredible 24 hours in Miami for Duffy after he helped the Rome Gladiators team to victory in Friday’s Global Champions League competition with a vital clear round.

It was a brilliant evening for Irish horses and riders as EIC Cooley Jump The Q (ISH), bred in Co Carlow by Pam Walshe and ridden by Max Kuhner (AUT) finished as runners-up in the Grand Prix with the fastest four fault score of the second round. Three Irish riders made it into the jump-off with Cork’s Shane Sweetnam finishing seventh with RR Combella, just ahead of Kildare’s Mikey Pender and the Ita Brennan-bred HHS Calais (ISH) in eighth.

Irish Horse Board Director General Alison Corbally said:

“What a fantastic result for Irish Show Jumping. The Duffy family have a long tradition in the sport and this was a well-deserved victory for Michael, taking a huge five-star Grand Prix win. Congratulations also to Carlow’s Pam Walshe, the breeder of EIC Cooley Jump The Q (ISH) who finished as runner-up and to Shane Sweetnam and Mikey Pender who also finished inside the top 10.

BREEDING

EIC Cooley Jump The Q (ISH) – 2013 Gelding by Pacino (BWP) out of Jump The Q (ISH) by O.B.O.S. Quality 004 (OLD). Breeder: Pam Walshe. Owner: Remo Baleri & MK Sportpferde Max Kühner. Rider: Max Kuhner (AUT).

HHS Calais (ISH) – 2011 gelding by Cavalier Royale (HOLST) out of MHS OBOS Cruise (ISH) by OBOS Quality (OLD). Breeder: Ita Brennan, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Bravo Hughes Ltd. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL).