Sweetnam second

CORK’s Shane Sweetnam finished runner-up in the four-star $150,000 Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier at the Royal Winter Agricultural Fair in Toronto, Canada, on Thursday night. Sweetnam and the nine-year-old gelding Main Road, owned by Sweet Oak Farm & Seabrook LLC, crossed the line clear in 36.84 to finish second behind world number one Kent Farrington and Voyeur (0/0 35.51).

Billy Dorito to

Darragh Kenny

DARRAGH Kenny has purchased the promising seven-year-old Billy Dorito (Billy Mexico x Vechta) in partnership with American-based Vlock Show Stables. The horse was bred at the Billy Stud in Britain and produced by William Funnell and stable rider Lucy Townley with great success, including a third place finish in the British seven-year-old championship in Addington this summer.

Farrington remains on top of the world

AMERICA’s Kent Farrington remains the top-ranked rider in the world for the seventh month in a row, according to the latest FEI World Rankings released this week. Bertram Allen is Ireland’s top-ranked rider, up one place to 20th, while Cian O’Connor remains in 24th place, just one ahead of Denis Lynch who is up two to 25th. Lynch won the Longines FEI World Cup qualifier in Lexington last weekend, which will give him another boost in next month’s rankings. Shane Sweetnam (35) and Daniel Coyle (43) complete the five Irish in the top 50.

TRI expert evening

TRI Equestrian Superstore is holding an ‘Ask the experts’ evening next Thursday, November 16th, at their Curragh store from 7-9pm. The event has an impressive line-up of industry experts including veterinary surgeons Marcus Swaal and Paul Traynor; master farrier Ian Worrell; equine denist Marc Higgins; equine chiropractor Dr Sean Wall; master saddler Helena Walsh and TRM’s technical expert Raoul Masterson. This is a free event with refreshments.

Power hunting book

WELL known hunting photographer Catherine Power is launching her book “Memoirs of a Foxhunting Photographer” on Sunday, November 26th in The Dunraven Arms at 3pm. All welcome. Please turn to page A80 for more details.

Smashing mash

WELL done to all the staff at the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge, Co Kildare, who fed and watered the 400 people attending Thursday’s Equine Summit with great ease. Talk of the menu was the smashing mash potatoes which romped home in the food stakes.