DARRAGH Kenny took the runner-up position in the three-star $117,000 1.50m Grand Prix at Traverse City on Saturday with Amsterdam 27 from a start list of 42. There were just six clears in round one and only two of them managed to complete double clear rounds. Kenny was only beaten by class winner Callie Schott (USA) on Garant, whose jump-off time of 36.45 was just over a second ahead of Kenny’s 37.67. Ireland’s Jonathan Corrigan and Darius de Kerglenn placed 10th in the class.

Kenny was on a roll and went on to win Sunday’s $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix with Colibelle Hero Z with a double clear round in a time of 38.08. Runner-up Martien van der Hoeven (USA) on Chance Encounter were over three seconds behind in 41.21. Ireland’s Kevin Gallagher on Ninja BF placed sixth in the class.

Placings

Conor Swail and Clique placed 10th in the $2,000 1.40m Jumper class on the opening day (Wednesday) of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival at Flintfields Horse Park in Traverse City, Michigan, while Mark Finnerty and Igelo were 10th in the $1,000 1.35m Jumper class.

Thursday’s three-star $5,000 1.40m two-phase special saw Simon McCarthy and Leonardo S place eighth, while Darragh Kenny and Colibelle Hero Z performed well to win the 44-strong $2,000 1.40m power and speed class with a clear round in 33.19.

The three-star $75,000 Traverse City Nations Cup saw four teams lining up to do battle. The Irish team of Conor Swail with Clonterm Obolensky, Simon McCarthy with Gotcha, Philip McGuane with Paso Doble SCF and Darragh Kenny with Diaroubet put up a good fight and, after two rounds, shared the lead with the USA on four faults, so requiring a jump-off.

McCarthy and Gotcha rode again and completed a clear round in 39.71 seconds, but American rider Mimi Gochman finished less than a second faster (38.85) to take the win, with Ireland having to settle for second place. Canada finished third, with Mexico in fourth place.

Kenny was runner-up in the $1,000 1.35m Power and speed class with Pearl Gem VDM, while Swail placed third with Qoreen van’T Ruytershof in the $32,000 1.50m jump-off class, when double clear in a jump-off time of 39.31. Jonathan Corrigan rode Darius de Kerglenn into ninth place in the class.