ANOTHER Irish rider who came close to repeating a back-to-back Grand Prix win was Longford’s Aisling Byrne who finished runner-up in the Irish Horse Gateway amateur final at Liverpool International Horse Show last Sunday.

The winner last year with Wellview Classic Dream (ISH), Byrne was the first rider into the ring for the two-phase contest, riding Chloe Aston’s Celeste SPB Z, and produced a super fast clear round in 27.16 seconds to hold the lead for almost the entire class.

Britain’s Jessica Hewitt took over Byrnes lead with just a few horses left to go to take the top spot on the podium with Rusty (25.15), while Kerstin Deakin finished third with Sunsolde (27.25).

There was more to come from the successful amateur show jumper, who is also a part-time model, on Monday when she claimed second and third spot in the CSI Amateur A final. She guided Wellview Classic Dream (ISH) to the runner-up position with a double clear in 37.43, while Celeste SPB Z slotted into third (0/0 37.59). Jessica Hewitt once again claimed the win with Rusty (0/0 36.05).

KILOSSERY KAIDEN

The six-year-old world champion Killossery Kaiden (ISH) made his first appearance under his new owner, America’s Adrienne Dixon, at Liverpool International Horse Show last weekend and the new pairing finished the show with a podium finish in the CSI Amateur B final on Monday.

Purchased by the Californian show jumper, who is training with Olympian Greg Broderick at Ballypatrick Stables in Co Tipperary, for €270,000 at the Supreme Sale of Show Jumpers, the six-year-old jumped a double clear round in 29.01 to place second.

It was another American on top in the class aboard the Irish Sport Horse LVS Wizard, previously owned by Malahide-based Barry O’Connor and Martin O’Dea.

Rosalie Biedron, who also trains with Broderick at his Thurles base, partnered the seven-year-old by Cobra to break the beam in 28.95 seconds.

Campaigned by Philip McGuane before being sold to Biedron at the end of the summer, LVS Wizard won the ISH Studbook seven-year-old class at Louth County and Tattersalls and was placed every day in the seven and eight-year-old international class at the Dublin Horse Show in July.