IT was an Irish one-two in Friday’s four-star $32,000 1.50m class in Wellington, Florida, when Simon McCarthy on Gotcha claimed first place, followed by Richard Howley on Mansini Ltd in second.

There were 41 starters in the class, with 11 jumping clear rounds. McCarthy clocked the fastest time of 66.56 and was closely followed by Howley in 67.66. Third place went to American rider Mckayla Langmeier and Jiselle NS (68.25).

Cork’s Conor O’Regan on Manchester followed this up with a win in the two-star $32,000 1.45m Qualifier later in the day. Jessica Springsteen (USA) finished in the runner-up spot with Naomi Van Het Keizershof, ahead of Daisy Farish (USA) in third with Etonemoi Del Cabalero. Jenny Rankin on Quatinka placed fifth in the class, with Jordan Coyle on King Kannan GP in ninth and Philip McGuane on Edgard de Prefontaine in 10th.

Placings

Week four of the Winter Equestrian Festival kicked off in Wellington, Florida last week, with numerous Irish riders taking part and bringing home their share of the spoils.

On Wednesday, Bertram Allen on Gary De Cerisy came sixth in the four-star $6,000 1.45m class, while Shane Sweetnam and Cherry Blossom 5 placed ninth in the $6,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m Open Jumper class.

Thursday saw O’Regan on Carmen De Bonnieres finish second in the two-star $6,000 1.45m class, followed by Rankin on Big Beauty Z in fifth.

Darragh Kenny rode Zero K into ninth place in the four-star $62,500 WEF Challenge Round 3 from a start list of 50, with McGuane on My Lady van de Krekel placing fifth in the $6,000 1.40m Open Jumper class.

Meanwhile, an Irish-bred horse also had success in the class, with the 10-year-old gelding ESI Ali (ISH), bred by Ennisnag Stud and formerly ridden by Seamus Hughes Kennedy, taking third place. The horse is now ridden by Egypt’s Nayel Nasser and the pair finished less than a second behind class winner Henrik Von Eckermann on Glamour Girl.

Sweetnam on Rural Juror SCF placed sixth in Friday’s $6,000 1.40m Open Jumper class.

Saturday’s four-star $215,000 Grand Prix saw two Irish in the top eight, with Kenny sixth on board Zero K and Allen eighth on Qonquest de Rigo. From a start list of 45, just seven made it through to the jump-off, where four combinations completed double clear rounds. Germany’s Christian Kukuk on Checker 47 won the class (37.56), ahead of Ben Maher (GBR) on Enjeu de Grisien (39.29) in second.

Sunday saw Rankin finish sixth with Quatinka in the two-star $62,500 Grand Prix.