In another accolade for the Loughshinny rider, O’Shea also won the $10,000 ESP Spring Rider Challenge for the second consecutive year.

Equestrian Sports Productions LLC hosted its third week of spring competition at the PBIEC, the highlight of which was the $25,000 Nutrena ESP Spring 3 Grand Prix, designed by Britain’s Richard Jeffrey.

Some 45 combinations jumped the first round track with 11 making it through to the jump-off which yielded six double clear rounds. O’Shea and Michael Hayden’s Primo de Revel had the winning jump-off time of 42.29 seconds, successfully defending their 2013 crown in this event.

Christoph Schroeder and Cantungee were second in 42.88secs while Emanuel Andrade and Hollow Creek Farm’s Fananka A were third in 43.01. Hayley Barnhill and Cara Cheska’s Zephire finished fourth on 43.25 while Cork’s Shane Sweetnam was fifth on Spy Coast Farm’s Chaqui Z, clear in 44.20.

Primo de Revel enjoyed a good long winter break and came out fighting fit for the spring campaign. “He had three easy months and he feels great. He picked up right where he left off,‘’ noted a delighted O’Shea. “He goes out in the field every day as well. He is so easy to ride that he doesn’t need much schooling. I jumped him in the 1.40 metre the other day and last week, I jumped a 1.30 metre and before that, I jumped him once at home and that was it. He just knows what he’s doing and there’s nothing to teach him.”

For the second year, a special $10,000 rider bonus was offered for the first three weeks of ESP spring competition. The ESP Spring Rider Challenge was awarded to the rider who earned the most points accumulated from the $10,000 Open Stakes classes and each $25,000 USEF Ranked Grand Prix offered at the first three spring shows.

Once again, O’Shea won the award, this time with Gotham Enterprizes’ River Dance Semilly, a horse O’Shea rides for Georgina Bloomberg throughout the winter. The horse and rider have enjoyed a great spring series to take home the first place bonus of $5,000 while Federico Sztyrle received $3,000 and Chris Ewanouski won the third place bonus of $2,000.

“It is fantastic to have this bonus for the spring series. River Dance Semilly is a really promising horse. Last week he was second in the Grand Prix and he was fourth in the 1.40m here, seventh in the Grand Prix the week before. He is very careful and consistent.

“I’m very grateful to the owners. Michael Hayden for keeping the horse for us for so long and Georgina for letting me ride River Dance Semilly,’’ said O’Shea who now heads to the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows in May.