THERE was an Irish one-two in the 55-strong 1.45m two-star jump-off class at Monterrey, Mexico, last Friday, when Jordan Coyle on King Kannan GP edged ahead of Conor Swail on Theo 160 by less than a second to claim the win. Eduardo Pereira De Menezes and Armenteros Z was third, a mere 0.07 seconds behind.

Swail had made a good start at Monterrey, when finishing second in Thursday’s CSI2* 1.35m speed class on Nadal Hero & DB. His time of 56.51 could only be bettered by Nicole Valazco Magana (MEX) and Daddy’s Destiny, who were fastest of 26 combinations who had jumped initial clear rounds from the 81 starters. Swail also placed seventh in the five-star FEI Winning Round class, this time on Casturano, when quickest of the second-round four-faulters. Erynn Ballard (CAN) and Fava D’Authuit won the class. Swail was then sixth in Sunday’s two-star 1.45m Grand Prix with Theo 160.

Michael Duffy rode Rein Family LLC’s Mr Cornike into sixth place in Thursday’s $181,000 five-star qualifier. The class was won by Chris Pratt (CAN) on Ideaal ES.

Friday saw the $200,000 five-star MLSJ Team Final take place and Maccabi United, made up of Columbian cousins Daniel, Ilan and Mark Bluman, continued to dominate, winning in Mexico and overall. Swail and Casturano joined Natalie Dean and Lillie Keenan on the third-placed Trelawny Trailblazers, where despite incurring four faults in the first round, they went on to contribute the equal fastest jump-off round to help secure the team’s bronze medal, which left them as overall runners-up for the current season.

Saturday’s five-star $750,000 Grand Prix GNP saw 37 starters, eight of whom left all poles intact over Paris Olympic course designer Gregory Bodo’s track to progress to the jump-off. Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam on Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z and Duffy on Mister Qerly Z were among them, but each incurred four faults against the clock to finish fifth and seventh respectively. Rodrigo Pessoa on Prins Van ‘T Eigenlo won the class, while Marilyn Little and the in-form Kent Farrington completed the podium as the only other double clears. Farrington rode Descartes SR, the nine-year-old gelding on whom he won at the last leg of the MLSJ in Kentucky. This result was enough to see him win the league outright.