FLORIDA was certainly a happy hunting ground for the Green Jackets over the past week and Shane Sweetnam headed an Irish one-two in the feature of week four of Wellington International’s Winter Equestrian Festival when steering Coriaan van Klapscheut Z to victory in the $215,000 MARS Equestrian Grand Prix.

Six qualified for the jump-off and all bar one were clear again next time around, so the margins had to be found in terms of tight turns, stride decisions and galloping where possible.

And it was Castlemagner man Sweetnam and his 10-year-old that had all the answers, stopping the clock on 41.40. Enniscorthy’s Bertram Allen, who registered two four-star triumphs the previous week, was the best of the rest with Qonquest de Rigo, going clear in 41.95.

“I thought it would take more time [to get to this level], but I didn’t have many horses when he stepped up to FEI last year,” said Sweetnam, who has had the ride on the gelding he owns together with Voquest LLC since the middle of 2024.

“His first week here last year, he’d never done an FEI class and was second in the WEF [Challenge Cup]. He took to it like a duck to water and was very competitive from the start - even though he was green. He really wants to leave the jumps up.

“We’ve been second a lot, which was my year last year, so it’s nice to have him put me up one spot and get the win!”

Coyle capitalises

Just a few hours later, on Sunday morning Irish time in Ocala, it was Daniel Coyle winning the $200,000 Gary Yeomans Ford Grand Prix from a world-class field, with a horse at the opposite end of the experience spectrum, 16-year-old Farrel.

The diminutive 16-year-old owned by Ariel Grange bested eight other combinations in the tie-breaker, posting a time of 39.24 to see off Jessica Mendoza (GBR) and In The Air by just under half a second.

“This year I’ve been very fast, but have had a fence down,” Coyle said afterwards.

“I could be two or three seconds faster, but with a fence down. So I decided to go a little slower and be second or third. So I went in with that in mind, but that also doesn’t always work, sometimes we kinda just go,” he laughed.

“The jump-off was quite straightforward. One to two, there were no real numbers. Then the double. When I walked, it was five strides across the centre, and I didn’t think I was going to do that, but we did it, and that’s where I got an extra half a second on everybody, and he’s very good at turning no matter what the speed is.

“We’ve had Farrel since he just turned seven. He’s been amazing. He’s my most successful horse ever on paper, which a lot of people don’t know. Everybody’s getting a bit older, including him, and I really wanted to win tonight, just for Farrel.”

Wachman wins

It was the second four-star victory of the week for Ireland at the World Equestrian Center, as Tom Wachman and Do It Easy followed up their London Grand Prix win before Christmas by emerging triumphant from the Grand Prix Qualifier.

Eight combinations made the jump-off, including Michael Duffy and Be Sky Hawk, who were very quick but had four faults. Do It Easy and his Goolds Cross pilot were the penultimate pair into the arena and they came home strongly in the latter part of the course to prevail.

“I watched one or two on the screen, but I made a good plan with Cian O’Connor and Ross Mulholland,” said Wachman.

“I wanted to do seven from one to two in the jump-off, but I did eight, so I was a little slow, and then did 11 strides to the double. Some were doing 10, but it was very hard to jump it on 10. Then nine to the plank, seven back, and seven to the second-to-last, and that’s where I think I had it.

“He’s an amazing horse. He’s so rideable and so brave. He won the Grand Prix in London a couple of weeks ago, so he’s been jumping in super form. He’s 13, and I’ve been riding him for quite a while now. My brother Max rode him, and Cian rode him as well. He was very well produced in Stephex Stables with Kendra Claricia Brinkop. He really is such a kind horse, and he’s so fun to work with, and he wants to win.”

Top prospect

Earlier in the day at that Florida arena, Coyle had been runner-up in a two-star speed class with Urville Z, which was won by Irish Sport Horse Rincoola Milsean, bred by the late Harold McGahern in Longford, and ridden by Charlotte Jacobs (USA).

Coyle and Urville also had to settle for the bridesmaid role again 24 hours later, when Duffy and Mister Qerly Z edged them out in a thrilling conclusion to the two-star Grand Prix Qualifier.

It was Coyle who held the lead with a clear in 35.58 that looked difficult to trump, but Duffy and his 10-year-old somehow found one-hundredth of a second.

However, when it came to the final, it was Coyle and Urville Z who claimed the $65,000 Golden Ocala Grand Prix CSI2*, stopping the clock in an uncatchable 42.77 seconds to secure the win.

The 13-year-old Zangersheide mare has wasted no time making an impact, and Coyle was quick to praise her. “Last week was my first time showing her. I got her right before Christmas. Last week she jumped the national, and won the Futures Prix. The rider didn’t help much. I was struggling last week and didn’t really know how to ride her, and she still won,” he said. “I am really excited for her.”