Irish Riders maintain top form at Florida Festival

IRISH show jumpers maintained their top form at Florida’s Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) with a second and third place last night (Friday) in the four-star speed class at Wellington, as well as a fifth place in the Challenge Cup.

Cork’s Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm’s stallion Cyklon held the lead on time for most of the 60-strong speed class, but were eventually edged out by US-based Offaly rider Darragh Kenny aboard Oakland Ventures’s gelding Picolo.

However, a few rounds later Britain’s World No.2 rider Ben Maher with the ten-year-old gelding Aristo Z completed the fastest round in 62.23 seconds, pushing Kenny down to second place and Sweetnam to third overall.

Sweetnam also claimed a sixth place in the class with Sweet Oak & Spy Coast Farms’s mare Mimosa.

In the ninth round of the WEF Challenge Cup last night, Kilkenny’s Richie Moloney took a fifth place on a double clear round with the Irish Sport Horse Slieveanorra, losing out to America’s No.1 rider Kent Farrington and the gelding Voyeur by over four seconds in the jump-off.

On Wednesday night, Darragh Kenny took first place with Quiz and third place with Picolo in the weekend’s opening speed class at Wellington, with Sweetnam finishing in fourth on Cyklon.

Wellington’s World Cup Grand Prix takes place on Sunday

BREEDING
Slieveanorra (ISH) – 2002 chestnut gelding by Voltaire (HANN) out of Creevagh Quaich (ISH), by Flagmount Diamond (ID). Bred by Ronnie Hollinger, Co. Monaghan. Owner: Equinimity LLC & Richie Moloney. Rider: Richie Moloney (IRL)

Darragh Kenny