OFFALY’s Kevin Mealiff won the $30,000 Manchester and the Mountains Grand Prix last Saturday during week five of the Vermont Summer Festival in the USA.

Ten horse and rider combinations advanced to jump-off and Mealiff and his mount, Idylle van de Eikhoeve, were the last to return for the jump-off. In their first real test together, they broke the beam in 40.11 seconds narrowly edging out New Zealand’s Kirk Webby.

“With 10 in the jump-off, I knew it was going to be very fast,” Mealiff, who is based between Wellington and North Salam, said afterwards.

“I was lucky enough to go last. I’d seen everyone go, and I knew Kirk was very fast, so I knew I had to do something between the last two jumps.

“I left a stride out there and just picked him off at the end, so it was great.”

Mealiff only took over the ride on Idylle van de Eikhoeve a week ago, but the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare’s style suits him well.

“She likes to take a hold and kind of run at the jump, so then you just have to sit against her,” said Mealiff of the mare owned by Freedom Hill Farm. “That’s my type of ride, and I just seem to get on really well with her.

“She’s a super mare. She’s very careful and seems very consistent, so she has a big future ahead of her. In the jump-offs, you can turn her back tight, and she just pats the ground and leaves. She’s so careful and just has a lot of good quality.”

Following Saturday’s win, Idylle van de Eikhoeve will enjoy a few days off at home before returning for the final week of the Vermont Summer Festival and the culminating $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix.