CORK’S Shane Sweetnam scored another five-star win on Thursday at the 12th and final week of the Winter Equestrian Festival at Wellington International in Florida, when taking the top spot in the $116,100 Adequan WEF Challenge Cup Round 12 on board the 10-year-old gelding Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z. This is the pair’s second win in this series, after also winning during week 10.
The 60 starters in the class included six of the world’s top-10 show jumpers, with the best 12 in round one returning to jump for a second time. Five of those combinations withdrew and another five incurred faults. Only two managed to jump double clear over course designer Guilherme Jorge’s challenging track, with Sweetnam’s time of 39.71 seconds getting the better of Richard Vogel (GER) on Cloudio, who stopped the clock in 40.53. Sweetnam took home $34,830 for his win. Offaly’s Darragh Kenny and Eddy Blue were among the withdrawals from round two and therefore placed joint eighth in the class.
“Any win in the WEF is a big deal,” said Sweetnam afterwards. “There were two plans for him this week - one to qualify [for the Rolex Grand Prix], and two, to win the class.
“He’s brilliant, so consistent, especially now in the last six weeks. We’ve figured each other out, and we’re in contention for most classes.”
In the ribbons
Bertram Allen got off the mark last Wednesday, when he rode Qonquest De Rigo into sixth place in the five-star $1,000 1.40m speed class from a start list of 62. Spencer Smith (USA) won the class on board Fantasia VD Vrombautshoeve Z in an incredibly fast time of 65.01. Nina Mallevaey (FRA) rode her super Irish Sport Horse mare My Clementine into the runner-up spot.
Wednesday also saw Sweetnam ride Balou H into fourth place in the 53-strong five-star $32,000 1.45m two-phase special in a second-round time of 34.63, just ahead of Charlotte Jacobs (USA) on the Harold McGahern-bred Irish Sport Horse Rincoola Milsean (Aldatus Z x Rincoola Abu by Cruising) in fifth (34.7). The class was won by Germany’s Vogel on Michael Jackson W with the fastest round two time of 33.6.
In the day’s $6,150 1.40m open jumper class, Nicky Galligan and Lougherne Kingfisher placed sixth from a very large start list of 94. Vogel (GER) and Con Quality won the class.
Daniel Kerins and Diacette won the two-star $12,000 Vogel 1.45m speed class at week 12 of the Winter Equestrian Festival at Wellington International \ Sportfot
Speed win
Youth rider Daniel Kerins, son of Sligo native Darragh Kerins, rode Diacette to win the two-star $12,000 Vogel 1.45m speed class on Thursday from a start list of 66. Kerins recorded the fastest of the 26 clear rounds in a time of 57.36 seconds.
“I’ve had her for just over a year now - we have stepped up to two-stars and three-stars, and then this winter we’ve done the U25,” said Kerins of Diacette, who is owned by Georgina Bloomberg.
“[Georgina] has been unreal to me, given me great chances and then gave me the ride on a mare like Diacette. I’m so grateful to be given the opportunity.”
In Friday’s five-star $62,500 Bainbridge Companies 1.50m speed class, Derry’s Jordan Coyle finished on the podium in third place with Ariso in a time of 68.62. Jacobs (USA) rode the very consistent 13-year-old gelding Rincoola Milsean to win the class in 66.88.
In the day’s $6,150 1.40m open jumper class, Allen placed fourth riding Danger 76 when clear in 71.00, while Cormac Hanley on Cornerado VDL placed ninth (75.98). Trent McGee (USA) on Greenhall won the class in a time of 65.22.
The most lucrative class of the weekend was Saturday’s five-star $1,000,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open 1.60m Grand Prix, which saw 40 combinations line up for a share of the spoils. Only five combinations kept all the fences intact first time out to secure a place in the jump-off, including two Irish men. Kenny and Eddy Blue finished fourth, with Coyle and Chaccolino just behind in fifth, after each of them picked up four faults against the clock. Just two completed double clear, with Kent Farrington (USA) on Greya taking home the winner’s prize of $300,000, followed by Ben Maher (GBR) on Enjeu De Grisien in second ($200,000). Vogel (GER) and Gangster Montdesir completed the podium and pocketed $150,000 for third place, while Kenny and Coyle took home $100,000 and $60,000 respectively for fourth and fifth.
Sunday’s two-star $62,500 Vogel 1.45m Grand Prix saw 34 combinations taking on the Jorge-designed track, with just eight combinations jumping clear within the time in the first round. One withdrawal left seven to jump off for a share of the prize fund, with Campbell Brown (USA) on Colina Z taking the win and €18,750. Simon McCarthy placed 10th with Igor GPH after picking up four faults in round one.
The day’s $50,000 1.50m National Grand Prix saw Hanley ride Santiago VH Netehof into 10th place from 26 starters.