Irish showjumpers enjoy brilliant weekend around the globe

Ireland’s Show Jumping riders and Irish-bred horses were in excellent form at the weekend in the USA, Europe and North Africa, with a string of podium finishes.

Cork’s Shane Sweetnam and the Patrick Connolly-bred CSF James Kann Cruz (ISH) recorded yet another five-star Grand Prix podium placing on Saturday night, when finishing as runners-up in the $340,000 Grand Prix at Tryon, North Carolina in the USA.

A 12 horse jump-off saw Sweetnam post a clear second round in 43.94 which left him just two tenths of a second behind Belgian winner Nicola Philippaerts with Gadget Mouche. America’s Kent Farrington and Greya filled third spot on the podium, while Galway’s Michael Duffy also made it into the jump-off with Be Sky Hawk and finished eighth overall.

Derry’s Daniel Coyle meanwhile tasted victory in Tryon’s two-star Grand Prix aboard Daydream.

Tipperary’s Denis Lynch and the 16-year-old stallion Cordial secured third place on the podium and a prize purse of just over €95,000 in Sunday’s five-star Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Rabat in Morocco. First to go in a seven-horse jump-off, Lynch picked up four faults at the penultimate fence in a time of 46.51 seconds. Only Monaco’s Anastasia Nielsen aboard Action Man managed to jump double clear to take victory, while Denmark’s Andreas Schou finished as runner-up with Napoli vh Nederassenthof in 45.59.

Back in Europe, Irish riders filled two of the top three places in Sunday’s three-star 1m50 Grand Prix at Vejer De La Frontera in Spain. Monaghan’s Clem McMahon guided the Patrick Breen-bred Carneyhaugh Unison (ISH) to a runner-up finish, crossing the line clear in 37.44 seconds in a 15-horse jump-off. Meath’s Cian O’Connor and Canbella Blue PS finished third in 37.61 while victory went to Portugal’s Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida and Karonia.L in 37.13.

At Dunkerque in France, Thomas O’Brien and Vario 7 finished as runners-up in the two-star Grand Prix while Sven Hadley finished fourth with Phenomene Blue VDM.

The opening leg of the Western European Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Grand Prix at Oslo in Norway, saw Tipperary’s Thomas Ryan and Jezebeau BC finished eighth. Ryan jumped clear in the first round to make it into the jump-off where he finished with one fence down. Dutch rider Sanne Thijssen claimed her first ever World Cup win with Cupcake Z.

Also in Oslo, the Joanne Sloan Allen owned and bred WKD Toronto (ISH) and Sameh El Dahan (GBR) took victory in Saturday’s 1m45 speed class.They were the only combination to break the 60 second barrier to take the top prize.

BREEDING
CSF James Kann Cruz (ISH) – 2013 gelding by Kannan out of CSF Telly Cruz by Cruising, bred by Patrick Connolly owned by Gizmo partners LLC. Ridden by Shane Sweetnam.

WKD Toronto (ISH) – 2013 gelding by Tornesch (KWPN) out of Zanoubia (BW) by Carnaval Drum (KWPN). Breeder: Joe Sloan, Co. Antrim. Owner: Joanne Sloan-Allen. Rider: Sameh El Dahan (GBR).

Carneyhaugh Unison (ISH) 2017 Mare by Cornet Obolensky (BWP), out of Carneyhaugh Allegro (ISH), by Don Juan De La Bouverie (SBS) , Breeder: Patrick Breen, Owner: Hilton Farm, Rider: Clem McMahon