A Tradition of Champions
A Tradition of Champions
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).