NICKY Galligan made a great start to the final week of the HITS Hudson Valley Jumping Tour at Saugerties in New York, when he rode the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Lougherne Kingfisher (Colestus x Lougherne Springs by Limmerick), bred by Jane Allen-Collins in Hillsborough, Co Down, to win the $31,020 Jumper Classic at the three-star show on Thursday.
Galligan was among 43 starters in the class, 14 of whom managed to complete double clear rounds over FEI Level 4 course designer Olaf Petersen Jr’s (GER) power-and-speed track.
The Irish man’s jump-off time of 25.88 proved to be unbeatable, although runner-up Nicholas Dello Joio (USA) and Cornet’s Cambridge gave it a good shot, when setting the time to beat early in the proceedings at 26.19.
Another Irish contender, Jonathan Corrigan on Hunter Des Forets, finished a mere 0.1 seconds behind in third place in 26.29.
“Honestly, today is the best feeling she has given me in the ring, ability wise,” commented Galligan after his win. “I don’t think I really pushed her to go that fast, but she is just a very quick, efficient horse, and I’m really excited for what’s to come, because I feel that she can get even quicker.”
Galligan first sat on the talented grey in October 2025 and he knew he liked the feeling on her back.
Attuned
“I actually had to ride her in a dressage saddle when I went to try her, and I didn’t even go over a pole with her before I knew she was a horse that I wanted to develop a partnership with,” he said. “I instantly loved how sensitive and attuned she was with me; it was like any question that I asked or any small movement I made, she was right there with me.”
This was the mare’s first international win, but Galligan sees her potential.
“We developed her quietly over the winter in Wellington, and then just this spring we debuted her in some FEI classes. I’ve been aiming for this week for months as our first 1.50m, so that will be tomorrow, and to have someone like Olaf [Petersen Jr] here and design a class like this is a real treat.”
On Saturday, Philip McGuane and Donvier placed eighth in the $31,020 Go Rentals Jumper class. The pair were among eight of the 15 starters to make it through to the jump-off, but also among four combinations who faulted second time out. Sloane Coles (USA) won the class on board Limoncello Z, with a double clear round in 39.71.There were no Irish riders in the ribbons in the $116,050 Purina Grand Prix later in the day, which was won by Egypt’s Nayel Nassar on Igor van de Wittemoere.