IRELAND's Richard Howley and Chinook won the Grand Prix CSI3*, sponsored by Diputación de Cádiz at the Sunshine Tour today (Sunday).

Top riders including Jérôme Guery, Gudrun Pateet, Laura Kraut, Penelope Leprevost and Jake Saywell contested the feature class. With competitors spanning the generations, from the youngest riders Harry Charles (20) and Jodie Mcateer (19) to the incredible Michel Robert (71).

There were 14 riders in the jump-off and it was not to be missed. Louis Koninckx was the course designer and his layout really suited Sligo rider Richard Howley and Chinook, who he has been riding since 2015. They are regulars at the Sunshine Tour, bringing a variety of horses down from HK Stables which he runs alongside Morgan Kent.

A delighted Richard Howley said: “I know this horse very well and besides being extremely fast he can turn on a sixpence. I really hope to ride in the Invitational GP at the end of the Tour with one of the top horses that we have brought down.”

Jake Saywell (GB), is always incredibly competitive and today was no exception, he rode a stunning round on the 12-year-old mare Havinia Van de Roshoeve which is by Cicero Z. Third place was taken by British rider Jodie Hall Mcateer who put in an incredibly fast round on Salt ’n Peppa.

Julio Arias,was the top placed Spanish rider on another horse by Cicero Z, Dirka des Brumes. He is based in Belgium and came 11th. “I’m afraid this time it was not to be. The mare didn’t see the upright fence well because of the light but I am pleased how she jumped overall. Anyway, I have 14 horses here with eight running in the bigger classes and I hope to get some good results over the four weeks left of the Tour.”

WIN FOR BRODERICK

Richard Howley and Jodie Hall Mcateer were also very successful today in other Big Tour classes. Richard was second in the 1.45m, which was won by Andrew Ramsay and California 62. Jodie also took third in the 1.30m, which was won by Tipperary international rider Greg Broderick and second place was taken by the New Zealand rider Lisa Cubitt.

The Medium Tour had many successes for Spanish riders including, Jacobo Ussia from Madrid, winning the 1.45m Grand Prix class, sponsored by Hospital La Equina on Vicomte de la Cour. In the 1.35m, Rosalie Biedron (USA) took the win on All Gold Des Isles. The Spanish rider from Galicia, Javier Gonzalez Fraga with Titan de Pravia was the winner of the 1.30m.

Jumping resumes on Tuesday with the young horse classes.