OFFALY’S Darragh Kenny and the 13-year-old gelding Eddy Blue have quite a number of successes under their belt already and added to this on Saturday, when they were a close second in the five-star $500,000 Grand Prix at Wellington International in Florida.

From a start list of 39, only seven combinations negotiated the first-round course without error and just six of them took their place in the jump-off.

Three combinations secured double clear rounds to fill the podium places. It was a home win for Kent Farrington (USA) on Greya, when they stopped the jump-off clock in 40.24 seconds, with second last to go Kenny finishing less than a second behind to take the runner-up spot (41.22). The final podium position went to Lillie Keenan (USA) on Argan de Beliard, who was more than four seconds back in 45.47. Kenny took home a very pleasing $100,000 for second place.

“I was very proud of the horse. He’s jumped clear in the last eight or nine five-star Grands Prix.,” Kenny said afterwards.

Week seven of the Winter Equestrian Festival at Wellington International in Florida took place from February 18th to 23rd. The opening two-star $6,000 1.40m class saw Francis Derwin on Fernhill Leonardo finish as runners-up in a class of 73.

There were 54 clear first rounds, with 39 jumping for a second time. Of those, 26 managed to jump double clear, with Derwin’s time of 30.15 seconds just shy of Canadian winner, Amy Millar on Christiano, who stopped the clock in 29.68. Andrew Bourns on MCS Leisester placed ninth in the class (33.89).

The day’s five-star $1,000 1.40m class saw three Irish in the top 10, with Michael Duffy on RMF Cinnamo in second, Nicky Galligan on VDL Nikita van de Leeuwerk in fourth and Jordan Coyle on Jorisca in seventh. In the five-star $32,000 1.45m class, Coyle on King Kannan GP placed sixth, followed by Galligan on Serenade B in ninth. Meanwhile, Kenny placed seventh in the day’s $6,000 1.40m Open Jumper class with Colibelle Hero Z and eighth in the $2,500 1.35m Open Jumper with Moreno E.

Senan Hayes was a joint winner in the Five-year-old Young Jumper class on Uintah and placed sixth in the Six-year-old class with Tito, closely followed by Darragh Kerins on Lisonas Gold in seventh.

Derwin placed ninth on Fernhill Leonardo in Thursday’s two-star $6,000 1.45m class, while Kenny took fifth place in the five-star $116,100 WEF Challenge Round Seven on board Chaccossini, jumping double clear in a jump-off time of 37.3.

The day’s $2,500 1.35m Open Jumper saw Kevin Gallagher in the runner-up spot with Saskia’s Boy, when double clear in 39.43 – less than 0.2 seconds behind Canadian winner, Eric Krawitt on Parabell JMen (39.26). The $2,000 1.30m Open Jumper saw Shane Sweetnam finish fifth with Cervantes, followed by Cormac Hanley on Don’t Worry De Tiji Z in eighth.

The Seven-year-old Young Jumper class saw Hayes place third with Spiderman, with Gallagher fourth on Casanova SP.

Irish one-two

Friday was a great day for the Irish, with a one-two in the five-star $62,500 1.50m Classic. Derry’s Jordan Coyle won the class riding King Kannan GP, jumping clear in 65.51 and was very closely followed by Shane Sweetnam on Coriaan van Klapscheut Z in second (65.6). Bertram Allen also finished in the top 10, when taking ninth place with Kingston.

Kenny rode Chic Chic into fifth place in the day’s $6,000 1.40m Open Jumper class, while Richard Howley on Cancoon TW came 10th in the $2,500 1.35m Open Jumper. The Six-year-old class saw Kerins on Lisonas Gold finish third, with James Brennan on CSJ Sunny Side in fourth and Hayes won the Seven-year-old class with Spiderman, with Gallagher on Casanova SP placing fifth.

Saturday’s opening class, the two-star $10,000 1.40m class, saw Bourns on MCS Leisester finish ninth. Sunday’s five-star $62,500 1.50m Classic saw two Irish in the top five, with Coyle on For Gold finishing third, when double clear in 41.16 and Duffy on RMF Clinton Son in fifth, with four faults in the jump-off in 41.81.