THE three-star Great Lakes Equestrian Festival commenced at Traverse City Horse Shows in Michigan over the weekend, which hosted a huge variety of national classes alongside some international, with Irish riders bringing home a few ribbons. Thursday’s three-star $100 FEI Jumper speed class saw Paul O’Shea place second with Primo CBI Cornet, when jumping clear in a time of 71.81 seconds. They were only beaten by Hilary McNerney (USA) on Nala NBS, who stopped the clock in 70.19 with the only other clear round in the class of 12.

The three-star $31,100 1.45m Welcome Stakes class saw Shane Sweetnam finish third with Honey Heart, when they jumped a lovely double clear in a time of 35.93 seconds. The class was won by Kent Farrington (USA) on Diakatisa in 34.01.

Sweetnam and Honey Heart took seventh place in Friday’s $31,100 1.45m speed classic, behind Kevin Gallagher, who placed third with Casanova SP.

Grand Prix glory

Meanwhile, Kilkenny’s James Brennan had a successful show at Thunderbird Show Park’s Western Family fixture in Canada. Brennan rode eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding The Statesman (Celtic Hero BZ x Deeply Dippy K by Luidam), bred by Catriona Fallon, to win the $20,000 1.40m Odlum Brown Grand Prix - the biggest win of their partnership to date.

Brennan purchased the horse from his breeder last July and, following a spell with Viktor Daem in Belgium, then exported him to North America.

Brennan said of his mount: “For me, I’m lucky to have him. I haven’t had a lot of horses anywhere near his talent, in my opinion. He’s capable of jumping bigger right now, but I think I’ll just slowly build him and hopefully then you have a horse that’s peaking when he’s 10.”

The rider intends to “pick classes that work for him and move him up and down a little bit. And just enjoy it.”

Brennan was on a roll and had also won the $2,000 Crooks Show Jumping Young Horse 1.20m class with the six-year-old Selle Francais gelding Kymi Grand Prix.