CORK’S Shane Sweetnam showed his class yet again when, together with his fantastic Irish Sport Horse partner James Kann Cruz (Kannan x CSF Telly Cruz by Cruising), a 12-year-old gelding bred by Patrick Connolly, he ‘cruised’ round the five-star 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva to finish as runner-up.
The class, which is part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, was the highlight of the weekend in Geneva and saw 40 combinations take on the 1.60m contest. The track was challenging and just eight negotiated the first round without fault to book their place in the jump-off, where five remained fault-free to record double clear rounds.
After Sweetnam set the standard in the jump-off with a clear in 41.39, Kent Farrington (USA) was leaving nothing to chance on Greya and rode a lightning-fast round in 40.04 to take the top spot and claim the €400,000 first prize. Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz took home €250,000 for their runner-up finish, while Thibeau Spits (BEL) filled out the podium when third with Impress Van’T Kattenheye Z.
“The course designer did a great job. It was pretty fair but the time played a big factor in it. Then the riders figured it out a little bit and rails kept falling in different places; there was a nice number of horses clear. In the jump-off… I am sick of Kent by the way! If you look at the results all year, I’ve been on the podium behind him a lot, so I am over that,” Sweetnam said in jest.
“Greya is obviously a brilliant horse. I thought I put in a good round to put him under pressure that he had to do something; it wasn’t maybe my complete round but after watching him, even if I was perfect, I still wouldn’t have been faster than him. To end up second is Geneva is great; I was third before with this horse… I am moving up so maybe next year I will win!”
Farrington commented: “Greya has won seven five-star Grand Prix events this year, but Geneva is undoubtedly the most prestigious of them all. My primary goal next year will undoubtedly be to ensure that my horses are ready for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.”
Brennan dominant
The five-star Prix Swiss Wine Genève 1.45m two-phase class on Thursday saw Meath’s Cian O’Connor finish on the podium with the 11-year-old mare Canbella Blue PS. The pair jumped double clear in a second phase time of 28.11 to claim third place behind German winner Michael Jung on Fischer Duopower (25.98) and Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) on Cous Cous 3 (27.18).
Kilkenny’s Tim Brennan went straight to the top of the class in the Under-25 Prix Range Rover 1.40m speed class on board the 10-year-old mare Diadema Della Caccia with a superb round in a very fast 58.41 seconds. Swiss runner-up Thibaut Keller on Happy Girl T finished almost two seconds behind in 60.32, with third-placed Jules Orsolini (FRA) on Ibrahim a further second back in 61.43. Molly Hughes Bravo (POR) finished fourth with the eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare HHS Ice Flow (Iceman De Muze x HHS Go With The Flo by Cyrano 145), bred by Kevin Meagher and owned by Maurice Devlin from Co Tyrone.
O’Connor was back on the podium in the five-star Trophée de Genève 1.60m jump-off class, this time taking third place with the 12-year-old gelding Chatolinue PS when jumping double clear in a jump-off time of 47.16.
Daniel Coyle and Daydream won the 1.45m Prix du Salève at CHI Geneva \ Tomas Holcbecher
Dream win
Friday started well for the Irish, with Derry’s Daniel Coyle and the nine-year-old mare Daydream winning the five-star Prix du Salève 1.45m speed class when clear in 56.27, ahead of Bryan Balsiger (SUI) on Castiel - a close second in 56.41. Tipperary’s Tom Wachman rode Obora’s Laura into seventh place (58.55).
O’Connor completed a hat-trick of podium finishes when third in the five-star Prix des Communes Genevoises 1.55m speed class with Genghis Khan; they jumped clear in 68.55.
Friday also saw the Indoor Cross-Country presented by Tribune de Genève being held, with Galway’s Cathal Daniels taking the runner-up spot on board the 18-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Rioghan Rua (Jack Of Diamonds x Highland Destiny by Flagmount King), bred by Margaret Kinsella, just behind winner Janneke Boonzaaijer (NED) on Champ de Tailleur.
The 24th Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final on Friday night was a competitive affair, as expected when the world’s top 10 riders go head-to-head. Coyle and Incredible gave a good account of themselves to finish seventh, but the win belonged to Scott Brash (GBR) on Hello Chadora Lady, followed by Kent Farrington (USA) in second place on Toulayna, with the only two double clear rounds in the class. Richard Vogel (GER) filled third with Cloudio as the fastest four-faulter.
Brennan showed immense talent and consistency when he was back on top of the podium in Saturday’s 31-strong Under-25 Grand Prix Range Rover 1.45m jump-off class on board Diadema Della Caccia, jumping double clear in a jump-off time of 35.53, which proved best of the 12 combinations in the decider. Runner-up Gilles Muller (SUI) on Giavanna CB finished over a second behind on 36.84, while Rachel Proudley (GBR) on Guess du Mont completed the podium when a very close third (36.86).