THE highlight of the show jumping classes at the five-star Kentucky International invitational at Kentucky Horse Park, which ran alongside the three-day event, was Saturday’s $400,000 1.60m Grand Prix, which saw 40 combinations forward. Of those, just nine jumped clear in the first round to proceed to the jump-off, but only four were able to negotiate their way round the shortened course without penalty.
Cork’s Shane Sweetnam and the 12-year-old gelding CSF James Kann Cruz (ISH) (Kannan x CSF Telly Cruz (ISH) by Cruising (ISH)), bred by Patrick Connolly in Co Galway, were best of the Irish here, taking the runner-up position and the highest-placed Irish-bred title (sponsored by the Irish Horse Board) in a jump-off time of 45.00. The win went to Kent Farrington (USA) on Greya (42.93), with another American, Mimi Gochman on Inclen BH, competing the podium in third (46.06). Offaly’s Darragh Kenny on Eddy Blue placed seventh, followed by Down’s Conor Swail on Casturano in eighth, both having incurred faults in round two.
“I knew when Kent had gone that he had set the target and that I would have to do everything to catch him,” Sweetnam said afterwards. “For me, I didn’t feel I was quick enough at the start, and then I was quicker towards the end. I could have been faster at the start, but my horse jumped great. I’m very happy with him.
“He’s always a work in progress; he’s got a lot of character and likes to do things his way. He always has,” Sweetnam said of his Galway-bred mount. “We have a good system at the moment and have had good results this year… he likes a crowd and likes to show off, and he’s in a good place, but he’s always a work in progress. He likes to throw spanners in the works, but he’s worth the work.”
Swail victory
The Split Rock Jumping Tour commenced at Lexington, Kentucky last Wednesday, April 23rd; there may have only been four classes, but Irish competitors made their presence felt from the first of them, the $35,000 1.45m two-phase. Swail took the win with the 11-year-old mare My Lady Lavista when jumping double clear in a jump-off time of 29.19 seconds.
From a large start list of 88, 43 proceeded to round two, with an impressive 23 of them jumping clear again within the time allowed. None could beat Swail’s jump-off time, but Luis Fernando Larrazabal (VEN) on Belle De Muze continued their recent run of form to take the runner-up spot (29.48), with Alex Matz (USA) completing the podium on board Cashew CR in third (29.88). Kenny and Lightning placed fourth (30.41).
Thursday saw the $75,000 1.50m Welcome Grand Prix qualifier being held, with 54 combinations lining up. This time only 14 made it through to the jump-off, where Swail and Kenny were both in the top four again, but this time Kenny rode Eddy Blue into second place (36.71), with Swail and Casturano not far behind in fourth (38.59).
Aaron Vale (USA) won the class with Gray’s Inn in a super-fast time of 35.09, with Matz (USA) third again, this time riding Ikigai (36.83).
Friday’s $35,000 1.45m speed cup saw 51 pairings go to post, with 16 jumping clear rounds. This time, there were two Irish men on the podium, with Cork’s Simon McCarthy and Gotcha in the runner-up position (61.00), followed by Swail and My Lady Lavista in third (62.42).
Matz (USA) showed his consistency and Cashew CR’s speed by winning the class in an unbeatable time of 58.21. A third Irish rider finished in the top 10, with Andrew Bourns on MCS Leisester placing ninth.