THE highlight of the show jumping classes at the five-star Kentucky International invitational at Kentucky Horse Park, which ran alongside the three-day event, was Saturday’s $400,000 1.60m Grand Prix, which saw 40 combinations forward. Of those, just nine jumped clear in the first round to proceed to the jump-off, but only four were able to negotiate their way round the shortened course without penalty.

Cork’s Shane Sweetnam and the 12-year-old gelding CSF James Kann Cruz (ISH) (Kannan x CSF Telly Cruz (ISH) by Cruising (ISH)), bred by Patrick Connolly in Co Galway, were best of the Irish here, taking the runner-up position and the highest-placed Irish-bred title (sponsored by the Irish Horse Board) in a jump-off time of 45.00. The win went to Kent Farrington (USA) on Greya (42.93), with another American, Mimi Gochman on Inclen BH, competing the podium in third (46.06). Offaly’s Darragh Kenny on Eddy Blue placed seventh, followed by Down’s Conor Swail on Casturano in eighth, both having incurred faults in round two.