CLARE’S Philip McGuane, who is based at Evergate Stables and works alongside Egypt’s Nayel Nassar, had a great show at the relatively local HITS Hudson Valley show at Saugerties, New York over the weekend. McGuane rode My Lady Van De Krekel to win Friday’s $35,000 FEI Go Rentals Winning Round class, jumping double clear in a jump-off time of 32.55 to secure the $11,550 first prize. McGuane’s colleague Nassar finished close behind with Coronado, when they clocked 33.03. Galway’s Michael Duffy and RMF Balouwinsky placed fourth (34.48).
“Honestly, I saw Nayel’s jump-off and I didn’t think I was going to catch him,” said McGuane after his win. “We had some good turns at the end, and she [My Lady Van De Krekel] is very quick across the ground, so luckily enough we beat him today. I’m just happy when one of us ends up in good placings.”
McGuane was on a roll and took the runner-up spot in Saturday’s three-star $125,000 Core Speciality Grand Prix, this time riding Orphea HQ to a double clear round in a jump-off time of 39.2. Just five of the 35 starters made it through to the jump-off, where Kent Farrington (USA) and Grass De Mars finished just a fraction ahead of the Irish man to win the class in 39.14 and claim the $41,250 first prize. McGuane took home $25,000 for second place. Duffy and Chili Pepper HMZ placed eighth in the class.
Top five
The three-star HITS Hudson Valley show took place in Saugerties from September 3rd until 7th. Ireland started well, with two Irish men finishing in the top five of the $31.020 FEI Dapper Horse Jumper Classic on Wednesday. McGuane rode My Lady Van De Krekel into second place in a jump-off time of 37.37 seconds, behind Egypt’s Nayel Nassar on Ivory TCS, who took the win in 35.5. Duffy placed fifth in the class with RMF Balouwinsky (38.93).
Duffy claimed another fifth place in Thursday’s $65,000 FEI Welcome class, when he rode Chili Pepper HMZ double clear in a jump-off time of 40.01. The class was won by Kent Farrington (USA) on Orafina, who stopped the clock in 37.86.
On Friday, Christian Coyle took the top spot in the $15,000 1.35m STX Open Speed class riding Ma Pome De Tamerville.
Duffy added to his winnings when he won the 21-strong $75,000 HITS Grand Prix on Sunday on board RMF Clinton’s Son, where nine combinations proceeded to the timed decider. The pair jumped double clear in a jump-off time of 33.84 to secure the $22,500 first prize, ahead of runner-up Sarah Segal (USA) on Tom Hanks, who finished in 34.77 - a nice conclusion to Duffy’s first visit to the New York venue.
Traverse City
Meanwhile, at Traverse City in Michigan, Richie Moloney won the three-star MunySunk Stables two-phase class with Skelwith Diamond Lady, when they kept all the poles intact in a second-phase time of 32.84. Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen (USA) on Mochito V/D Mishagen finished a very close second in 32.88. Shane Sweetnam placed ninth in the class with Rural Juror SCF (39.07).
Moloney and Skelwith Diamond Lady were back in the top 10 of Sunday’s Agero Grand Prix, when they placed seventh, after an unfortunate four faults precluded them from the jump-off. Charlotte Jacobs (USA) won the class with Instrumental.