LIMERICK show jumper Shane Carey continues to impress with the nine-year-old mare Fecybelle and together they won their third Grand Prix in four weeks at the two-star show in Aarhus, Denmark.
Carey, who is based in Denmark with his wife, Linnea Ericsson-Carey, began by winning Friday’s 1.45m jump-off class aboard Maria Gretzer’s Carambole-sired grey mare. Carey pipped his wife to the win in the 14-horse jump-off, with a time of 34.24 seconds. Linnea was aboard Contenance 15, a mare previously ridden by Shane.
The combination then went on to win Saturday’s 1.45m Grand Prix to claim the top prize of €8,250. Conor Drain was also among the 12 clears in the first round, when 40 combination started over the track. Drain set off at pace in the jump-off with Fieldmaster, but finished with eight faults in a time of 38.91 for eighth place.
Carey’s time of 35.84 was over three seconds faster than his nearest rival, Denmark’s Benedikte Serigstad Endresen and Lieschen (0/0 38.94). A look back at Fecybelle’s record shows she hasn’t knocked a fence at international level since September 1st, 2018.
Carey’s other result came in Thursday’s 1.45m two-phase competition when he guided Boomerang to fourth place. Drain placed fifth in Saturday’s 1.40m with Dialetto. The time would have been good enough for victory, but four faults kept them out of the running.