THE highlight of the week’s competitions at Wellington International in Florida was Saturday’s three-star $120,000 Grand Prix, in which three Irish riders finished in the top eight.

Just seven of the 45 starters made it through to the jump-off, with Down’s Conor Swail steering the 12-year-old gelding Casturano, owned by Conall Murray, into fourth place in a jump-off time of 43.09, taking home $12,000 for his efforts.

Jenny Rankin on Ibiza made it through to the jump-off, but retired, securing seventh place, while four faults in round one left Cork’s Shane Sweetnam in eighth place on board the nine-year-old gelding Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z. The win went to the on-form Luis Fernando Larrazabal (VEN) riding Condara (40.3).

Last Wednesday saw Cormac Hanley (Icarronne-S) and Swail (Echonix) take a one-two in the 1.35m Open Jumper class at Wellington International, while Paul O’Shea placed fifth with Ouija in the seven-year-old 1.30m class.

The $32,000 1.45m class had Philip McGuane on My Lady Van De Krekel in eighth place and Swail on One Edition in ninth.

Swail and the 10-year-old mare One Edition were runners-up in the 45-strong $1,000 1.40m class, when they jumped double clear in a jump-off time of 28.21. McGuane and Paso Doble SCF placed eighth (31.82) in the class.

Daniel Geaney won Thursday’s 1.35m Open Jumper on Vogue TW, with David Blake placing fourth on Renkum Oriana and sixth on Max Van De Marijenhoeve.

The $10,000 1.40m Open Stake saw Swail finish as runner-up with Clonterm Obolensky, followed by Blake on J.Diago in third. Blake then placed sixth in Friday’s $5,000 1.35m Open Stake on Renkum Oriana.

The $62,500 Grand Prix Qualifier saw Sweetnam in the runner-up position on Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z, when double clear in 41.16 seconds. The class was won by Venezuela’s Larrazabal on Condara, just over a second ahead in 40.08. McGuane on Orphea HQ finished fourth (41.9), with O’Shea and Primo CBI Cornet in seventh.

In Friday’s $32,000 1.45m Classic, Swail and One Edition took another podium place when third with a clear round in 64.01. Larrazabal (VEN) and Belle de Muze was once again best of the 59 starters in the class when stopping the clock in 61.05 seconds.

Saturday’s $35,000 Grand Prix saw Swail and Clonterm Obolensky place seventh, followed by Jordan Coyle on Action T in ninth.