TIPPERARY’s Shane Breen won last Wednesday’s four-star Grand Prix qualifier at the third edition of the Al Shira’aa International Horse Show in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Riding Team Z7’s 13-year-old stallion Can Ya Makan (Canturo x Fara), Breen began exactly as he did in 2018 by winning the opening class of the show. Twelve of the 47-strong startlist completed the first round without fault, setting up a competitive jump-off.

The standard was set by Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann but Breen managed to take over a second off his time when breaking the beam in 37.11 seconds. Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt looked closest to overtaking that time but fell short of the target when slotting into the runner-up position in a time of 38.05.

Breen was delighted with the winning start, commenting: “I am delighted for Team Z7 and everyone concerned, it is nice to come back here and win the same class again. It is an honour to be here, it is a fantastic venue.

“I had great success here last year and have now kicked off things in a good way, hopefully it continues,” he added.

Shane’s brother Trevor has also joined the Team Z7 setup for the trip to the UAE and he slotted into fifth place on the opening day with the nine-year-old stallion Franklin, with a clear in 62.01 seconds. Victory in that class went to the UAE’s Mohammed Al Hajri.

Saturday’s feature class, the €62,000 Longines and Al Shira’aa Grand Prix was won by homegrown local hero Abdullah Mohd Al Marri. Shane Breen was among the eight competitors to progress to round two of the 1.60m track, but one fence on the floor with the nine-year-old stallion Colmar (Colestus x Quidam’s Rubin), owned by Breen Equestrian and Quirke Sport Horses, meant he had to settle for fifth place and €4,340.

Trevor Breen was the runner-up in Saturday’s 1.35m jump-off class. Riding Escapade H, Breen’s clear against the clock in 35.63 seconds was just fractions slower than Saudi Arabia’s Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty (0/0 35.51), to earn him €3,200. Shane slotted into seventh place with his 2018 World Equestrian Games mount Ipswich van de Wolfsakker (0/0 44.50).