THERE was a Breen brothers one-two and almost an all-Irish podium in the three-star 1.55m Grand Prix at the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth International show on Sunday. In a class of 40 starters, nine jumped clear over the Colm Quinn-designed course to get into the jump-off, where Trevor Breen and Highland President jumped a super double clear in an unbeatable jump-off time of 38.86, only marginally ahead of his brother Shane riding Scarteen, who finished just a fraction behind in 39.12 for second place. The brothers jumped the only two double clears in the class.

Joe Whitaker (GBR) filled the podium in third with Hulahupe JR as the fastest four-faulter, with Ireland’s Billy Twomey on Ace of Hearts Z in fourth. Jack Ryan on Calgrafi DWB placed 10th.

"This was actually Highland President's first international Grand Prix," Breen explained afterwards. "He's jumped so many clears for Ireland in Nations Cups that nobody was probably trembling in their boots, because I was last to go today. Joe was very quick but had one down, so everyone was chasing the time. Today it just worked out to my advantage."

Of his win he said: "I'd like to thank Nina and the whole Bolesworth team and, of course, Al Shira'aa for their incredible support. The prize money over these two weeks is fantastic and it's a real pleasure to compete at a show like this, in such an incredible venue here in the UK. I'm really proud to have won this Grand Prix."

Stiff competition

Week one of the three-star Al Shira’aa Bolesworth International in Cheshire took place over the weekend, with three days of international show jumping attracting more than 280 riders and over 660 horses.

Trevor Breen got things underway for the Irish on Friday, riding Drewmain Meira into seventh place in the 1.40m two-phase class, followed by another seventh place in the 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier, this time riding Highland President.

The day’s one-star seven-year-old 1.30m two-phase class saw David Simpson on Zamira Blue and Jack Ryan on Phenominee Fd Z finish fifth and sixth respectively, with Shane Breen on FF Validam in 10th place.

Sven Hadley has been on winning form on home ground recently and continued that good run at Bolesworth, when winning the 1.30m speed class with Maximum Numero Too HSH, clocking 53.63.

"It was nice to get off to a good start," said Hadley. "Bolesworth is a show we always work towards each year, so it's great to begin the week with a win."

Hadley then rode the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion Machnus Lux, owned and bred by John Deegan, to win the one-star 1.25m speed class in a time of 53.10.

Ciaran Foley rounded off a good day for Ireland when winning the Under-25 1.35m speed class with Roger de Mariposa.

Top spot

On Saturday, Anthony Condon was among the clear rounds in the one-star five-year-old 1.10m speed class riding Arkola, while Richard Howley took the top spot in the 55-strong three-star 1.40m speed class on board Caprice d’Elle, with Seamus Hughes Kennedy on HK Fury not far behind in fifth place and Eoin Brennan on Augustus Z took eighth place in the three-star 1.45m Grand Prix qualifier.

Hadley was back on the podium in the one-star 1.30m speed class when second with Elka de la Pomme and then placed eighth in the one-star six-year-old 1.20m speed class on board Chipmunk BC Z.

The one-star seven-year-old 1.30m speed class saw Shane Breen on FF Validam finish fourth, with Ryan in fifth with DSH Vigo Sea and in seventh with Phenominee FD Z, while Jessica Burke slotted into sixth place with Rial’s Varinjo.

There was another top-10 finish for Hadley, when he rode Maximum Numero Too HSH into sixth in the three-star 1.35m jump-off class.

The day concluded with the three-star Puissance and David Simpson was among the four joint winners, clearing 1.95m, when riding Kolman VDP through four clear rounds. The other three winners were Great Britain’s Paul Sims (Marshmallow), Morgan Shirley (Klaris Ride ON) and Rachel Proudley (French Connection (ISH)).

Condon rode SFS Dodged’Em into first place in Sunday’s one-star six-year-old 1.25m jump-off class with a double clear round in a jump-off time of 39.18, a mere 0.04 seconds ahead of runner-up Jake Myers and Pascia Is My Name, while Keith Shore on Riaux d'Emeraud completed the podium in third.

According to Condon, SFS Dodged’Em has all the attributes of a top future international horse: "He's a lovely horse and a really easy-going character. I got the ride last year, which was his first year jumping, and Al Shira'aa Hickstead was actually his first show at this time last year. He's improved every time he's gone out and he's showing all the potential to become a very competitive top horse."

Of the jump-off, Condon said: "I watched Jake go because he was based with us previously, and I thought if I could do something very similar, but just be a little tighter to the vertical across the middle, hopefully I could find the half second I needed, while still giving the horse a confident round."

On the podium

Hadley and Machnus Lux claimed another podium finish when third in the day’s one-star 1.25m two-phase class, with Condon and Arkola again among the clear rounds in the one-star five-year-old 1.10m speed class, while Ryan on Balou Betti placed fifth in the Under-25 1.35m speed class, won by Rachel Proudley (GBR) riding the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Crystal Graf.

On Monday, Foley on Roger de Mariposa and Ryan on Balou Betti placed ninth and 10th respectively in the Under-25 1.40m final jump-off, while in the three-star 1.45m jump-off, Trevor Breen placed fourth on Drewmain Musachino and Ryan placed eighth on DSH Lucky Junior.

Ryan then finished on the podium in the one-star seven-year-old 1.35m final jump-off class, when he rode Galwaybay Winningmood into third, just ahead of Burke on Rial’s Varinjo in fourth. Ryan also placed eighth with DSH Vigo Sea.

The day’s Under-25 1.35m Consolation speed class saw a fifth-place finish for Jill Greene on Indigo Blue, while the three-star 1.35m two-phase class saw three Irish in the top 10 - namely Trevor Breen on Drewmain Meira in fourth, Oisin Dillon on Ballybeg Loui in fifth and Hadley on Kannan Contessa in 10th.

Hadley won the one-star 1.30m two-phase class with HSH Harper du Seigneur, with Olivia Ann Nell in sixth place riding Irish Coffee.

The concluding one-star 1.35m final jump-off class on Monday almost saw another win for Hadley, but he had to settle for second place with Elka de la Pomme, while Howley placed seventh on Chapeau PS.