LIMERICK’s Paul O’Shea landed a big five-star Grand Prix victory at the Major League Show Jumping show in Concurso de Salto La Silla in Monterrey, Mexico, last Sunday.

He galloped to victory aboard the 12-year-old Chacco-Blue mare Chancelloress who is owned by Niall Carey and Trelawny Farm (see feature on page 109). Just four of the starting 40 made it through to the jump-off. O’Shea was fastest of three clears against the clock, breaking the beams in 38.93 seconds.

Canada’s Mario Deslauriers was just under a second slower with Bardolina 2 to finish runner-up, ahead of Germany’s Jana Wargers and Limbridge in third (0/0 40.03).

“When she jumps, she’s brave and tough,” said O’Shea after the big win, the mare’s first at five-star level. “[What makes her special] is great reflexes. She’s really quick and has great technique.

“In the double oxers, I hardly had to push. When I saw that combination, I was happy because she jumps them really well and powerful. The venue here was outstanding and both shows in Mexico have been fantastic.”

Wins for Coyle and Swail

Derry’s Jordan Coyle was also in action at the venue and he won Saturday’s 1.45m Table C Speed and Handiness with Elan Farm’s Centriko Volo. Their time of 61.67 seconds was just fractions faster than German runner-up Richard Vogel with Caramba 92 (61.71), while Brazil’s Rodrigo Lambre was third with Chapilot (63.32).

Co Down’s Conor Swail won Thursday’s 1.50m jump-off class with Count Me In. From 45 starters, 19 made it through to the jump-off, where he was the fastest of nine clears in 39.75 seconds. Jana Wargers was runner-up with Limbridge.

In the two-star division, Cork’s Simon McCarthy won a 1.40m two-phase aboard Don’t Touch du Bois, a 12-year-old mare owned by Pine Hollow Farm who was previously ridden by Ireland’s David Blake. It was the second win in as many weeks for the combination who also scored at San Miguel de Allende.

McCarthy was the fastest of 20 double clears in 27.90 seconds. In second place was the Irish Sport Horse Monbeg Thunderball B, ridden by USA’s Veronica Tracy, and bred in Co Offaly by Sportpferde AG Etter. By O-Piloth, the nine-year-old gelding is out of Karina (Zeolier). Tracy was based in Ireland at Ballypatrick Stables for a few years before moving to mainland Europe.

Co Cork’s Shane Sweetnam slotted into third place in 29.39 seconds with the eight-year-old gelding Impossible Dream. Sweetnam was placed twice with Indra van de Oude Heihoef in the five-star classes. The pair were sixth in Thursday’s 1.40m and seventh in Sunday’s 1.45m.