ROBERT Blanchette made a good start for the Irish at the Summer 2 show at the World Equestrian Centre in Ocala, Florida, when he won the three-star $32,000 1.45m speed class last Wednesday on board Coupis, with Paul O’Shea close behind in second on board Hellcat.

Blanchette followed this with another win on Thursday, this time in the three-star $32,000 1.50m qualifier riding the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse Carnlea Premier Balou (Balou Du Rouet (OLD) x Armagh (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST)), bred by Premier Sport Horses in Keady, Co Armagh.

Thursday also saw Sarah Kerins place sixth in the $1,000 1.35m class on Briarhill Cornet Durida, with Darragh Kerins on Lissino in ninth. Darragh then placed seventh in Saturday’s $10,000 1.35-1.40m Futures Prix on board RSK Quality Cruise.

Dylan Daly rode Cinderella Z into ninth place in the three-star $130,000 1.50m Grand Prix, which was won by Portugal’s Luis Sabino Goncalves on Scoop De Septon Z.

O’Shea claimed two top 10 places in Sunday’s $50,000 1.45m Grand Prix, finishing second on board Spy and 10th with Primo CBI Cornet.

Williamsburg win

Meanwhile, at the three-star show at Traverse City Horse Shows in Williamsburg, Mark Kinsella won Thursday’s three-star $32,000 1.45m speed class on board Bogano. Just 10 of the 31 starters jumped clear, with Kinsella clocking the fastest time of 65.68 seconds to take the win.

Jonathan Corrigan was among the 10 clear rounds, placing 10th with Ritual Vitseroel.

Kinsella placed third with Qlipper Blossom VD Bleuken in the $2,000 1.40m jump-off class and won the $1,000 1.35m jump-off class with Gonzalo. Corrigan placed seventh in the $1,000 1.30m jump-off class riding Jarmensina VDM.

On Friday, Kinsella and Corrigan placed second and third in the $7,500 1.35m jump-off class riding Gonzalo and Jarmensina VDM respectively. Corrigan then placed third in the three-star $32,000 Welcome Stake class riding Darius De Kerglenn, with Lorcan Gallagher on Copycat finishing 10th.

Shane Sweetnam won the day’s $1,000 1.30m jump-off class on board Riesling van de Gaathoeve, while Corrigan had a great conclusion to the show when finishing as runner-up in the three-star $117,000 Grand Prix riding Darius De Kerglenn.