Win for Drain

CO Antrim’s Conor Drain enjoyed a win and a series of top 10 placings at the one and two-star show in Salland in the Netherlands. He was sixth on Zidane in the 1.40 Big Tour last Thursday before placing Dobalia eighth in the Small Tour on Saturday in the two-star.

More was to come on Sunday, when Drain placed sixth on Dobalia in the Small Tour Final and was again sixth on Zidane in the Grand Prix in the two-star.

In Friday’s one-star, he was fifth on Cibalia in the Small Tour and on Saturday, he won the Big Tour final with Carmauxgraaf and was fourth in the Small Tour Final on Cibalia.

Pender GP win

MICHAEL Pender enjoyed a Grand Prix win at the CSIP Barbizon on Zirina, double clear in 34.08 seconds. Runner-up was Annemarie Dunne on Dalestown Cavalier (ISH), double clear in 38.00 while sixth was Hannah O’Shea on More Clover (ISH).

Gordon lands win

Ireland’s Jonathan Gordon enjoyed a series of good wins and placings at the three-star show in Wiener, Neustadt.

Gordon won the 1.40m speed round with Emma Brown, clear in 53.24 and was second in the 1.45m (0/60.50), won by Dutch rider Jur Vrieling on Esprit D (0/58.77).

Meanwhile Co Antrim’s Jessica Kurten was fourth on Contadoor (0/57.56) in a 1.40m speed competition, won by Turkey’s Derin Demirsoy on Vancouver (0/57.56).

Swail features

IRELAND’s Conor Swail and Ariana placed second in the 1.50m opening competition at the World Cup qualifying three-star show in Rockwood, Canada. Ian Millar won the welcome competition on Dixson.

Death of Cagney

CAGNEY, the Irish Sport Horse who carried Canadian Olympian Eric Lamaze to many of his notable early wins, died this week at the ripe old age of 34.

Foaled in Ireland in 1980, Cagney was by Clover Hill (RID) and was brought to Canada by Doug Henry. He especially loved Derby courses and won the Shell Cup Derby at Spruce Meadows with Lamaze in 1994; 1995 and 1999. Owned by Eddie Creed, Cagney was later donated to the Canadian Equestrian Team in 1997.

Lamaze said: “Cagney was my first solid Grand Prix horse. With Cagney, I experienced the most success I had up until that point. It allowed me to go to Spruce Meadows for the first time; the World Cup final and the World Championships in The Hague. My first time riding on the team for Canada was with Cagney at the Nations Cup in Washington.”

Lamaze was also named as the Canadian Show Jumping Champion two years in a row, in 1995 and 1996, courtesy of his incredible partnership with the talented Irish gelding.

Irish at Osberton

IRELAND’s Lucy Latta enjoyed a top 20 finish in Osberton CCI** with DHI Broadway with a score of 52.8.

Britain’s William Fox-Pitt won the event with Fernhill Pimms on 39.3.

Elizabeth Power, who had enjoyed a very good start to the event, lying ninth after dressage on 45.8 and then moving up to seventh with a clear cross-country round with Mind Me, dropped down the field to 48th after the show jumping phase.