IRELAND had a good representation at Vilamoura over the past week and the competitors certainly brought home their share of the ribbons.
Richard Howley, still fresh from his back-to-back World Cup wins, rode Mansini Ltd (Caressini L x Marramas) into runner-up spot in the CSI2* 1.45m Grand Prix on Sunday, where they were among just four double clears from a starting list of 59. Nine of those starters had a clear first round to get through to the jump-off, but more than half of those faulted under pressure.
The winning time of 38.06 seconds came from German rider Sven Gero Hunicke and Mastermind RL, with Howley’s time of 38.25 seconds good enough for second place.
Sean Monaghan certainly started his show at Vilamoura last Tuesday (November 7) the way he meant to go on. Firstly, he jumped clear to be a joint-winner in the CSIYH1* Five-Year-Old class, going on to win the CSIYH1* Six-Year-Old class with Boleybawn Cosimia and also placed third with Coco du Rona Z.
In Wednesday’s CSIYH1* Six-Year-Old class, Monaghan and Boleybawn Cosimia were runners-up to Great Britain’s Mark Edwards on Tinkers Touch, who were just 0.03 seconds faster in the jump-off, registering 29.24 seconds compared to Monaghan’s 29.27 seconds.
Monaghan also slotted into sixth place in the class with Coco du Rona Z.
Thursday’s CSI2* 1.45m class saw Francis Derwin and Parvati Aeg finish eighth, in a class won by Belgian rider Constant van Paesschen on Mixcoac Ls La Silla.
The CSIYH1* Six-Year-Old Two-Phase Special class win went to Monaghan with Coco du Rona Z, with seventh place going to Aidan Killeen on MBF Masserati.
In Saturday’s CSI2* 1.45m class, another Irish rider Adam Carey steered Quebello D into ninth place, while in the CSI1* 120b Two-Phase Special class, Molly Taylor secured 10th place for Ireland riding Babou Derick. The CSI1* 130b Two-Phase Special class also saw 10th place go to Ireland, this time to Gerard Campbell on Fairplay de Galike.
The CSI2* 1.35m class on Sunday saw Aidan Killeen taking seventh place with Helianthus H.