IRISH riders Shane Sweetnam and Conor Swail got their names on the board at the first week of international show jumping at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.

Sweetnam landed Friday’s $37,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Jumper speed class with the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Caraghs Quality Lady. Owned by usual rider Anna Beth Athey, the OBOS Quality mare was bred by Seamus Casey out the the Limmerick dam See The Light.

She jumped six SJI-affiliated classes in 2017 as a four-year-old before being sold to Germany where she was ridden by Francesca Piccolomini. She was purchased by Sweetnam’s student in late 2021.

There were 37 entries to contest the course designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) and Andy Christiansen Jr. (ECU), 17 of which went clear.

McLain Ward (USA) had the time with Bonnie M Z in 63.52 seconds, but four faults at the ‘b’ element of the double combination proved costly. It was Sweetnam’s quick and fault-free effort with Caraghs Quality Lady in 66.67 seconds that would be victorious to earn $12,210.

USA’s Natalie Dean finished second when clear in 67.38 seconds with with Nespresso Van’t Laekhof, while in third place was the Dominican Republic’s Hector Florentino who stopped the clock in 67.62 seconds riding Wyndmont’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Meadow Vale Cruise (Creevagh Ferro x Cruising) who was bred by John Higgins.

Commenting afterwards, Sweetnam said he has the ride on Caraghs Quality Lady as her owner is away at school. “I’ll do the 1.50m on Sunday, and then Anna Beth will jump in two weeks in the two-star. We’re going to build towards her hopefully doing a three-star at some point in the future.

“I think it’s really going to be a good horse for [Athey] for the future,” he added, saying she is a stereotypical moody mare, but she can back up her attitude with her talent. “She’s always competitive in the ring. She feels fantastic. She’s a super jumper, and she’s only getting better.”

The Cork native is looking forward to the circuit in Wellington, which is home for him and his wife Ali and three children.

“Last year, obviously with Covid, it was a bit restricted and not as many people around, but this year there’s a good vibe and already some good classes have gone ahead,” he said.

Swail win

On Thurday, Co Down’s Conor Swail, currently the highest ranked Irish rider in the world at number nine, took the win in the Bainbridge Companies 1.40m CSI3* speed class with Alexis Sokolov’s Cana van de Blom.

The pair were the fastest of 11 clear rounds in 55.48 seconds. USA’s McLain Ward was close behind with Bonnie M Z, owned by Gut Einhaus LLC. Rounding out the top three was Isabella Russekoff (USA) who rode Suave Pony LLC’s Balou’s Fly High in 59.89 seconds.

In Friday’s $6,000 Bainbridge Companies national 1.40m Speed Challenge. Ireland’s Gavin Harley rode Clear Ride LLC’s Kavalli di Magico to the win in 63.062 seconds. Just a hundredth of a second behind him was Beth Underhill (CAN) and Chacco Kid, owned by the Chacco Kid Group.

Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire rode her own nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare MHS Cardenta (VDL Cardento x Diamond Serpent), bred by Galway show jumper Olive Clarke, to third place in 67.89 seconds.

Young rider Francis Derwin won a Table A 1.40m at the venue aboard Vlock Show Stables’ Ricore Courcelle when the fastest of five double-clear rounds in 29.45 seconds. The pair was also third in a 1.45m on Sunday, when Tipperary’s Tom Wachman finished sixth with HH Fireball.

Grand Prix

The three-star $140,000 Southern Arches Grand Prix was the feature event of the week on Saturday night and victory went to hometown hero Spencer Smith (USA) who wowed the crowd and jumped to victory with Ransome Rombauer’s Ayade Hero Z, fastest of five clears in 34.31 seconds.

From 45 starters, just eight made it through to the jump-off. Galway’s David O’Brien just missed out with a time fault in the first round to finish ninth aboard Chansonette Farm LLC’s El Balou OLD, while Limerick’s Paul O’Shea slotted into 10th place with the fastest four faults in the first round with Imerald Van’t Voorhof.

USA’s Kent Farrington was runner-up aboard Orafina (0/0 36.00), ahead of Egypt’s Nayel Nassar with Igor van de Wittemoere (0/0 36.65).