TOP Irish course designer Tom Holden is designing the courses this weekend at Palm Beach, Florida, USA.

Holden, from Co Louth, started his equestrian career competing in show-jumping and eventing as an amateur for many years before he became involved in course designing with a local riding club at the age of 18.

A Horse Sport Ireland Level 2 coach and tutor, he became involved with assisting several senior course designers in Ireland, including the highly respected Sgt Major Steve Hickey, Paul Duffy Snr, and Gerry Byrne, progressing through the course design examination process, earning his FEI level 3 status in 2006.

Considered to be amongst the elite in his field, Tom has designed courses at some of the biggest horse shows in the world including Spruce Meadows in Canada, FEI World Cup™ qualifiers in Estonia, Croatia, and Slovenia, as well as the Young Horse Finals at the Dublin Horse Show.

Tom is now designing the Classic Champions Tour young horses classes in the Grand Prix grass ring at the Palm Beach Open, a USEF rated Jumper 2 show, part of the 2018 Palm Beach Masters Series where nearly $20,000 in prize money is at stake.

The Classic Champions Inc. Tour classes are specifically for five, six and seven-year-old horses.

The Palm Beach Open takes place at the stunning Deeridge Farms in Wellington, Florida and runs from March 22nd to 25th.