Irish riders take three top five places in Florida

IRISH riders took third, fourth and fifth places in tonight’s (Thursday) Challenge Cup Round 11 at the international Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, USA.

Offaly’s Darragh Kenny kept up his recent run of good form by claiming third place with a double clear round on Caroline Loyd’s gelding Sans Soucis Z, while Tipperary’s Kevin Babington was close behind in fourth on the Shorapur Group’s mare Shorapur, also recording a double clear in the 18 horse jump-off.

Cork’s Shane Sweetnam, who was second with Beluga in Wednesday’s speed class, rounded off Ireland’s presence in the top five of Wellington’s four-star competition tonight with a third double clear, this time riding Spy Coast Farm’s stallion Chaqui Z.

The competition was won for the fifth time in the series by Canada’s Eric Lamaze, aboard Artisan Farms’s mare Fine Lady 5, while the runner-up spot went to Argentina’s Ramiro Quintana and the mare Whitney.

Co. Down’s Conor Swail also featured in the top ten of the class, taking a ninth place on Ariel and Susan Grange’s stallion Grafton after dislodging a singe fence in the jump-off.

Wellington’s Grand Prix takes place at midnight on Saturday, Irish time, with 95,000 euro on offer in prize money.

Darragh Kenny