IRISH riders were back in the ribbons last week in Vilamoura with a host of good results. Susan Fitzpatrick got the ball rolling when she took sixth place with HHS Matilde in the seven-year-olds, with a clear in 63.29.
In Thursday’s three-star 1.45m, Alexander Butler was best of the Irish when he finished fifth with Eldorado, and Mikey Pender was back in the ribbons when he partnered Dome Van Overis Z to fifth place in Friday’s 1.40m.
Friday’s 1.45m was dominated by Irish riders. Claiming victory with the fastest clear round in 25.53 seconds was Mikey Pender and HHS Burnchurch. Fractions behind were Harry Marshall and Chirokko M (0/0 25.91), ahead of Susan Fitzpatrick and Fellow Castlefield (0/0 26).
Accounting for fifth place were Dermott Lennon and Vampire, who left everything in place in a time of 26.36 seconds. Further down the line were David Simpson and Jenson 55 in eighth, and Greg Broderick with Dabelle in 10th place.
On Saturday, Isobel Hughes Kennedy put in an impressive performance with ESI Carvalho to take fourth place in the 1.30m when clear in 30.99. Pender and Diamino Blue also maintained a clean sheet in this class, in a time of 34.29, for eventual 10th.
Irish riders made their presence known in the last class on Saturday, the three-star 1.40m Table A when accounting for three of the top 10 placings. The best of those was Greg Broderick in third place with Gretchen Johnson’s Dabelle, clear in 41.21. One place behind him in the line-up was Mikey Pender aboard HHS Sevenhouses, who also put in a foot perfect performance in a slower time of 41.62. Harry Marshall had an unlucky four faults with Chirkko to finish ninth.
Mikey Pender was back in the line-up in Sunday’s 1.35m, finishing third with Dome Van Overis Z in the 1.35m, ahead of David Simpson in sixth with The Jeweller.
Martha Hughes Bravo got her day off to a good start as she led the victory lap in the one-star 1.10m Table A with HHS California, clear in 33.94.
STRONG IRISH CONNECTION
In the three-star 1.30m, there was a strong Irish connection when Greg Broderick’s student, American native Rosalie Biedron took the win. Riding the Irish Sport Horse LVS Wizard (Cobra x Diamond Lad), who was bred by Joe Owens, Biedron clocked the winning round in a time of 53.81.
Dermott Lennon was best of the Irish in the 1.50m Grand Prix, when finishing seventh with Vampire. Lennon was among seven clears in the first round, but 12 faults against the clock in a time of 46.29 seconds left him in seventh place.
Another of Broderick’s students, the recent Ballypatrick American recruit Kerry McCahill, finished in sixth place aboard Vatson Sitte. Victory went to Spain’s Ivan Serrano Saez and Tam Tam du Valon.
Former European young rider gold medallist Max O’Reilly Hyland was victorious in the 1.20m final aboard Enigma. He was the fastest of 24 combinations in the jump-off to claim €250.