THE Kilkenny-bred Irish Sport Horse Castlefield Maximus finished eighth in the Guangzhou CSI*** Grand Prix under his Chinese rider Datie Ha last week.

The 10-year-old stallion by Lux Z and out of Cloghala Lass (ISH), by Diamond Serpent (ISH) was bred by Deirdre O’Neill and was owned by Jim O’Neill before being sold to China. He was campaigned in Ireland up to Grand Prix level by Jim’s son Ger O’Neill.

Castlefield Maximus was one of two show jumpers in the first ever shipment of horses directly from Ireland to China last May under an export protocol signed by Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney and Chinese Vice-Minister Wei Chuanzhong in 2013.

Victory in the class went to Britain as Ben Maher, riding Vainqueur, lodged the winning round of clear in 44.01

Also flying the Irish flag at the same event was Cork rider Brian Morrison, who finished fifth in the CSI*** Table A with Question V, clear in 79.39 seconds. Taking the honours was China’s Zhiwen ZHAO (Bolero), clear in 65.82.

Morrison was also seventh with Ziezo in the 1.20-1.30m class when he had an unlucky four faults in 39.96 seconds.