OFFALY’s Darragh Kenny initated a double of five-star wins at Spruce Meadows in Friday’s 1.50, jump-off class. Riding Stone Hill Farm’s 10-year-old gelding Romeo 88, he was the fastest of just two double clears in the five-horse jump-off.

Breaking the beam in 44.33 seconds, he beat Mexico’s Nicolas Pizarro into second place for over five seconds. “The first round course was tough, there wasn’t so many clears but it was a good jump-off and my horse really felt on point. I’ve only had him (Romeo 88) for five months but I think the sky is the limit,” Kenny said afterwards.

Conor Swail finished fifth with B Gingras Equestrian’s Captain. The combination made it through the second round but were eliminated. Kenny also took sixth place as the fastest four faulter in round one with Artisan Farms’ Christos.

Kenny’s second win came in Saturday’s 1.45m winning round class aboard Anne Thompson’s Cassini Z. America’s Kent Farrington was second last to go and posted a quick clear in 52.47 seconds with Austria 2.

However, Kenny had a close eye on the leader and when last to go, took advantage of watching Farrington’s ride and came in faster with a time of 51.86.

“I got to watch Kent, I knew how fast he was - he can go so fast! I knew I just needed to be faster and I had to take as much risk as possible and hope the jumps stayed up,” Kenny said. Daniel Coyle finished fifth aboard Lothlorian Farm’s nine-year-old mare Legacy.

Coyle did however get a win on his own Irish Sport Horse gelding CHS Krooze in Sunday’s final five-star compeititon, the ATCO Classic Cup. Daniel’s older brother Jordan took an early lead in the class with Picador when clear in 77.23 seconds but was pushed into second place two rounds later when Daniel broke the beam in 76.86 seconds.

Incredible horse

CHS Krooze was bred in Co Clare by Vincent O’Callaghan.

“That was her (CHS Krooze) first time in the international ring, she’s an incredibly competitive horse, really careful. Thankfully she just went in there as if she’s going in there every day,” Coyle said afterwards.

Jordan would not have been too disappointed however because he took victory in the opening day’s 1.50m with Bold Prinz. Some 74 combinations started over the track, which has an option of jumping flowers on the way to the final fence.

Coyle took that option and shaved seconds off his time to cross the line in 64.40 seconds. Australia’s Rowen Willis was the closet to his time in 69.79. Speaking afterwards, Coyle was surprised he was so much faster than the rest of the field.

“Definitely it was the plan to go over the flowers, maybe it wasn’t the plan to be as fast. I thought there would be a lot more people faster!”

Following his five-star Nations Cup debut in Langley a week earlier, Meath’s Jonathan Corrigan and the Rory Costigan-bred Irish Sport Horse Loughnavatta Indigo continued to impress in Canada.

The pair finished third in in Sunday’s 1.50m jump-off when one of just four double clear rounds in the eight-horse jump-off. Victory went to USA’s Beezie Madden and Darry Lou.

Young horse win

James Chawke added to Ireland’s tally when winning the Sunday’s one-star 1.40m seven and eight-year-old Table A class. Riding Stonepine Stables Ltd’s eight-year-old gelding Grasshopper, Chawke was the fastest of 18 double clear rounds in the 21-horse jump-off.