Daniel Coyle and Andrew Bourns impress Stateside while Jack Ryan claims five-star podium finish in Spain

Irish Show Jumping riders were in superb form in the USA and mainland Europe on Saturday, with hugely impressive results across the Atlantic in California and Florida and also closer to home at La Coruna in Spain.

Daniel Coyle and Jeffrey Jarden. Photo Atalya Boytner MLSJ

Derry’s Daniel Coyle and the Ariel Grange-owned Jeffrey Jarden raced to victory in the two-star Grand Prix in Thermal, California following a 10-horse jump-off.

“We bought him last year at the Hendrix auction and I only started riding him a few months ago,” Coyle said of his winning 8-year-old mount. “I went to a three-star in Kentucky and my first horse wasn’t performing very well so I decided to jump [Jeffrey] in the Grand Prix and we got third place. So I thought maybe this horse is better than we first originally thought. From that point forward he’s been great in every FEI class he’s been in.”

Coyle finished 0.28 of a second ahead of Israeli runner-up Ashlee Bond with Chill MA, while Daniel’s brother Jordan Coyle took third spot with Costa Diam.

At the same fixture, Limerick’s Paul O’Shea and Down’s Conor Swail were part of the Eye Candy team that took victory in the Major League Show Jumping team competition.

There was also Irish success in the $216,000 four-star Grand Prix at Wellington in Florida. Galway’s Andrew Bourns and The Irish Sport Horse Sea Topblue scored a runner-up finish, crossing the line just three tenths of a second behind American winner Adrienne Sternlicht and Bennys Legacy. Clare’s David Blake also took sixth place for Ireland with Keoki, just ahead of Sligo’s Darragh Kerins in seventh with Lissino.

Meanwhile in Europe on Saturday night, Kilkenny’s Jack Ryan claimed a hugely impressive third place finish in the five-star Longines Grand Prix at La Coruna World Cup show in Spain. Riding the Jos Lansink-owned gelding Guppie VDL, Ryan (21) was one of nine first round clears who went forward to the jump-off. They jumped clear again against the clock to take home €31,500. The winners prize went to Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt and Coby.

BREEDING
Sea Topblue (ISH) – 2011 gelding by Chacco Blue (MECKL) out of Sea Top Lady (ISH) by Lux Z (HANN). Breeders: James & John Meade, Co. Clare. Owner: Andrew Bourns & QBS Equestrian. Rider: Andrew Bourns (IRL).