O’Shea leads Irish dominance of Norwegian Grand Prix

  • 3 May 2015, 21:10

LIMERICK’S Paul O’Shea led Irish dominance of the Drammen Grand Prix in Norway today (Sunday) with a decisive win.

Riding Skara Glen’s Sienna, O’Shea was one of eight through to the jump-off, but opened up a gap of over four seconds in the final round to relegate Norway’s Iselin Gjendemsjo and Woulon L to the runner-up spot.

Ireland took a total of three of the top five spots at Drammen, with a third place going to Mayo’s Michael G. Duffy with a double clear on Bocello, and a fourth to his elder brother Alex, riding Wrangler II, who had a single mistake in the jump-off.

In the big five-star show in Madrid, meanwhile, Offaly’s Darragh Kenny scored an 8,000 euro victory in the speed class earlier today aboard the Irish Sport Horse Belle Rock, outpacing Germany’s Christian Ahlmann and Caruso by fractions of a second.

Later in the day at Madrid, 19 year-old Bertram Allen made a bid to add a second Spanish victory to his tally when competing in the King’s Cup with Quiet Easy 4, but despite making it to the second round, a fence down dropped him to ninth overall. The class was won by France’s Roger Yves Bost and Qoud’Coeur de la Loge on a double clear round.

Bad weather dogged the five-star Grand Prix at Lummen in Belgium this afternoon. Mayo’s Cameron Hanley picked up prize money for a 14th place on Z Acodate Ddl on four faults in the first round, while local rider Jerome Guery took the Grand Prix trophy with a double clear on Papillon Z.

In the three-star show at Maubeuge in France, Trevor Breen had four faults in the first round of the Grand Prix to finish in 12th place, while at France’s two-star Fontainebleau, Meath’s Cian O’Connor brought out his new horse Good Luck for a seventh in the Grand Prix Qualifier.

At Mannheim in Germany, where the Grand Prix takes place on Tuesday, Co. Down’s Dermott Lennon placed third in the three-star speed class with the Irish Sport Horse Loughview Lou Lou.

pictured:leading national showjumper Paul O'Shea  with the 4-year old colt,  Ritchie at the opening of the new offices of the SJAI(Showjumping Association of Ireland) at Goffs Co.Kildare 17-07-03 Pic:Camilla Walter

Paul O’Shea