Bertram Allen and Irish Sport Horse Pacino Amiro claim five-star Florida win

Irish horses and riders have made a winning start to the final weekend of competition at the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, USA, with Wexford’s Bertram Allen guiding The Irish Sport Horse Pacino Amiro to victory in Thursday’s $140,000 Adequan WEF Challenge Cup.

Fourteen of the 54 starters made it into the jump-off, where Allen posted a superb clear in 42.88 seconds to finish over a second-and-a-half ahead of Italian runner-up Lorenzo De Luca with F One USA.

“I started him off out here on the grass during his first week [at WEF] because I knew the next three five-stars were on the sand,” explained Allen when about the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Pacino Amiro . “I think the reason we were so successful in today’s jump-off was because I didn’t lose my pace anywhere. Every time I turned, something nice came up and I didn’t have to do anything crazy or wild.”

Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro (Photo: Sportfot)

The duo have already had an incredibly successful circuit following their win in the $406,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI5* during WEF week 6.

“He has been great throughout all of the circuit,” continued Allen. “He’s had the last two weeks off, and I’ve just been trying to keep him feeling fresh. He really felt fresh today and found it very easy, so that was a nice feeling.”

Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro in their winning presentation. (Photo: Sportfot)

The Winter Equestrian Festival comes to a close on Sunday following the feature $500,000 Rolex five-star Grand Prix.

BREEDING

Pacino Amiro (ISH) – 2012 gelding by Pacino (BWP) out of Carnone Dancing Queen (ISH) by NC Amiro (AES). Breeder: Simon Scott, Co. Donegal. Owner: Aiden McGrory. Rider: Bertram Allen (IRL).

Final Results: $140,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round XII CSI5*

1. PACINO AMIRO: 2012 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Pacino x NC Amiro
BERTRAM ALLEN (IRL), Aiden McGrory: 0/0/42.88

2. F ONE USA: 2010 KWPN gelding by Toulon x Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve
LORENZO DE LUCA (ITA), Poden Farms: 0/0/44.24

3. KALINKA VAN’T ZORGVLIET: 2010 BWP mare by Thunder VD Zuuthoeve x Flipper d’Elle
KARL COOK (USA), Helen Signe Ostby: 0/0/44.66

4. FIGOR: 2010 KWPN mare by VDL Groep Zagreb x Indoctro
TIFFANY FOSTER (CAN), Artisan Farms, LLC: 0/0/46.07

5. IGOR VAN DE WITTEMOERE: 2008 BWP gelding by Cooper Van De Heffinck x Orlando
NAYEL NASSAR (EGY), Evergate Stables, LLC: 0/4/45.92

6. CAPTAIN COOPER: 2007 KWPN gelding by Namelus R x Corland
HILARY MCNERNEY (USA), Hilary McNerney: 0/4/47.20