Posted: 18th June 2018 | Back to news feed

Brilliant Win for Irishman Paul Kennedy 

Irishman Paul Kennedy hailed the "amazing" Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show after claiming a brilliant win in Friday's four-star feature class. Paul, who finished third in last year's Bolesworth grand prix with his home-bred Cartown Danger Mouse, returned to the show's International Arena and once again delivered an outstanding performance.

The 1.50-metre competition, sponsored by Watts Commercial Finance, delivered a thrilling jump-off that Paul clinched by just six hundredths of a second from his fellow Irishman and Nations Cup rider Shane Breen. A testing jump-off track challenged all combinations chasing the £7,100 top prize, and Paul did just enough to hold off Shane and Vendi Cruz. American Michael Hughes took third on Zerlin M, while Sweden's Jonna Ekberg was fourth with Univers du V.

Reflecting on his winning round, Paul said: "I watched Michael Hughes go, and he had a fantastic round, and I sort of knew I had to do everything to beat that. "The only place I thought I could be quicker was to the last fence. I chanced seven strides, and it came off.

 "It's a great class to win and a fantastic show to ride at. I am very thankful to Nina Barbour and the team here for putting on this amazing event, and to win here is special because it is almost a local show for me, being based just down the road. "Cartown Danger Mouse is a home-bred horse and has been a great servant. She is a real battler and trier. She just loves her job."

There was British success in the 1.35-metre four-star class, sponsored by Evans Halshaw Ford, as Leicester-based Lance Whitehouse took the honours aboard Cartino III.  The one-round competition produced some outstanding performances, but Lance's time of 60.45 seconds edged Holly Smith and Claddagh Iroko into second place, with Belgium's Francois Mathy Jr third on Falco van de Clehoeve and Oliver Fletcher fourth aboard Disckoboy DN.

 Lance said: "I am really pleased with the horse. It was a very quick class. You had to really set off from the start and try and stay in that rhythm. "The horse is very good against the clock. He turns as soon as you give him the instruction, and he is away. "There were two oxers at fences six and seven, and we were very quick on the turn back which maybe saved half a second. He is so responsive that he just gets a little bit of time in the corners.

 "I have been riding him for two years. He's generally my speed-class horse, although we do step him up here or there to two-star grand prix level. He can do a little bit of everything. He's a lovely horse to have and so nice to ride."

Shaunie Turns on the Style

 Scottish teenager Shaunie Greig underlined why she is among British showjumping's most exciting prospects by producing a stunning performance at the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show. Shaunie, from Dunfermline in Fife, won the 148cms Pony Grand Prix, sponsored by Carden Arms, and no-one could doubt her supremacy.

Five combinations made it through to the jump-off in Bolesworth's International Arena, with Shaunie being joined by Nicole Lockhead-Anderson, Faye Sutton and two rides for Claudia Moore. Nicole and Gangnam Style II set the pace with an impressive round in 37.17 seconds, but Shaunie moved into top gear immediately aboard Casino Royale VIII, making some remarkable turns to clock 33.56 seconds. Claudia finished in third and fourth places, respectively, with Elando van de Roshoeve and Shamrock du Gite.

A delighted Shaunie said: "It is such a lovely venue here, and I feel lucky to be able to ride here. "He is an amazing pony that always tries his best, and I knew the jump-off course today would suit him."

 

Breen’s Record-Breaking Performance

 Irish star Shane Breen produced a record-breaking performance to win a memorable Equerry Bolesworth International Puissance on Friday night.  Bolesworth's International Arena was at its majestic best in glorious sunshine as a capacity crowd witnessed a truly outstanding exhibition of power and precision jumping.

 Shane and 18-year-old puissance specialist Acorad 3 were immaculate across all five rounds of the Equitop Myoplast-sponsored showpiece, clinching victory by jumping a Bolesworth record 2.20 metres (7ft 3in). He was joined in the fifth and final round by four fellow Irishmen - Anthony Condon, Michael Pender, Richard Howley and Paul Kennedy - with Shane and his brilliant partner the only ones to clear the famous red wall. It was a spectacular display, and one that Shane admitted left him bursting with pride.

 "It was my first puissance on this horse," Shane said. "He is a puissance specialist, and I am the sixth Irish rider he has taken to victory in this type of competition. "He is an absolute pleasure to ride. He is an incredible horse. "He has never knocked a puissance wall down, and I am delighted to have won it. It was fantastic. "He has jumped 2.20 before, and a little bit higher as well. Last year, I had him in my stable, but I didn't get to do a puissance with him. 

 "I am just so happy. Riding this horse is an absolute dream. When he was younger, he jumped grands prix and did everything. "He has extraodinary scope, a super brain and is beautiful to ride. He just loves jumping."

 

Emphatic Victory for Laura Renwick  

 Great Britain's top-ranked female rider Laura Renwick launched Ladies' Day at the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show with an emphatic victory in the opening four-star class. Laura, a consistent winner on the British and European showjumping circuits, proved unstoppable in the 1.35-metre two-phase competition, sponsored by Watson Plant Hire.

 

Riding 13-year-old mare VDL Groep Alitta, she made light work of having an early draw to post a time of 35.67 seconds, and no other combination seriously threatened her. Ireland's Anthony Condon, winner of the Bolesworth grand prix last year, finished second on Dublin V in 39.44 seconds, with Holly Smith and Fruselli taking third on a time of 41.16.

Reflecting on a great start to the weekend, Laura said: "She jumped well on Friday and had an unlucky four faults. "She is a naturally fast horse, and I was early to go. I went fast, and ended up winning by quite a margin, so the course proved more difficult than I thought it was going to. "The two-phases are quite long courses. There were a lot of jumps, but she kept her concentration.

 "She won a few ranking classes with me in Villamoura in Portugal at the beginning of the year, and she is one of those horses that you don't feel like you are going that fast, but you are. She is very easy to be quick on. "I have got some lovely young horses coming through that I am really excited about."

Winning Return for Francois Mathy Junior

 Belgium's Francois Mathy Jr made a winning return to the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show as Saturday's action produced a thrilling speed class in the International Arena. The 1.45-metre competition, sponsored by Voltaire Design, saw the top four combinations separated by just 44 hundredths of a second with Francois claiming a top prize of £7,100.

 

Great Britain Nations Cup rider Robert Smith set a scorching early pace, clocking 54.86 seconds aboard his consistent campaigner Ilton, and it proved beyond all other combinations until Francois arrived on Casanova de L'Herse.

 And an impressive display of pace and precision saw them post a time of 54.69 to take a lead they never lost despite Irish star Billy Twomey and Ardcolum Duke threatening it on 54.89, while Graham Gillespie and Calvaro's Up To Date finished fourth.

 "I am very happy," Francois said. "The horse jumped great and I was lucky enough to be quicker than the others. "The horse has been winning a lot, and is very competitive. I was quite tight in the beginning of the course, and you know you can always be quicker. "It was not a course where you would really open up your horse. You could make time in the turns, not so much in the long gallops, and a very nice course. "I love this show. It is the third year in a row I've been here. The horse today was fourth in the grand prix last year, so he likes it here too.  "There is a special atmosphere here. It is such a special place."

 

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