FRANCIS Derwin Jnr and Parvati Aeg won the opening class of the 2024 Dublin Horse Show, the Speed Stakes.

Some 43 international riders lined out for the class and, although several riders used the class to familiarise their horses with the main arena, many were competitive.

Derwin, who won the individual silver medal at the FEI Young Rider European Championships last month, proved fastest of the 21 clear rounds. He guided his father Francis Snr’s mare Parvati Aeg (Arezzo VDL - Darco) to a fault-free round in a time of 52.51 to snatch the win.

Ireland’s Niamh McEvoy and Robin Bingham’s mare Templepatrick Welcome Limmerick (Limmerick x Lux Z), bred by Dorothea Wilson, took the runner-up spot in 53.46. Third went to Daniel Coyle riding the VDL Stud owned and bred mare Lena VDL (Carrera VDL - Mr Blue) in 54.53.

Belgium’s Kendra Brinkop and Ma Belle finished fourth in 57.08. France’s Nina Mallevaey rode Cartier SR into fourth place in 57.51, while sixth went to Switzerland’s Janika Sprunger riding Ciara Walsh McIntyre’s home-bred Irish mare Tullogher Lady Liberty (Indoctro - Labor’s VDL Indorado).

Belgian win

Emilie Conter from Belgium won the second international class of the show, the Minerva Stakes. A one-round speed sponsored by LHK Insurance, the class attracted 39 starters. Some 19 of these produced clear rounds, with Conter the quickest in a time of 56.42 for the win.

France’s Julien Gonin aboard Estrella de La Batia (Diamant de Semilly - Lando) captured the runner-up spot in 57.91. Third went to Ireland’s Cian O’Connor riding Fox Chapel in 58.16, while the USA’s Laura Kraut and Tres Bien Z were fourth in 58.56. Mikey Pender and HHS Cornetta slotted into fifth place, and Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and L&L Upgrade completed the top-six.

Irish one-two

Team Ireland made their mark on the first day of the show, when claiming a superb one-two in the 1.60m Sport Ireland Classic.

The standard was high, with 20 of the 50 starters leaving all the fences intact. Darragh Kenny and his own stallion Chic Chic (Comme Il Faut 5 x Contendro I) emerged as winners, breaking the finish beams in the only sub-70 time of 69.17.

Mikey Pender was second aboard Marion Hughes home-bred HHS Los Angeles (Le Roi 10 x Cavalier Royale) in 70.20.

McLain Ward took third for the USA riding First Lady in 70.96. Cian O’Connor guided the 10-year-old stallion Fermoy into fourth in 71.83.

The world number one rider, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and Glamour Girl (VDL Zirocco Blue x Caletto I) were fifth. Ireland’s Daniel Coyle with his own and Ariel Grange’s gelding Incredible (Clinton x Heartbreaker) finished in sixth place.

“He’s a super horse. He’s been unbelievably consistent all summer,” Kenny said afterwards.

“The last five shows he’s been at, he won a ranking class at every one of them except one, which he was second at. He’s been on-form all summer.

“I brought him here for this class and he feels great and he jumped super, so I was really happy it all worked out.”