THE Andalucia Sunshine Tour is underway at Vejer de la Frontera in Spain, with week one, hosting Young Horse, One-star and Four-star classes, taking place from February 6th until 11th.

Ireland’s Ivan Dalton kicked off his show last Tuesday with an equal first placing with Thiamme Nafi VTS in the Five-year-old 1.05m class, while Shane Dwan on California 159 were runners- up in the morning’s Six-year-old 1.15m class. In the Seven-year-old 1.30m class, Patrick Hickey on Dresden Z came fifth, followed by Dermott Lennon on Amazing Alf Z in seventh, Bertram Allen on Grimble in ninth and Dalton on Philly Fogarty in 10th.

Dwan on Ijump took third place in a later Six-year-old 1.15m class, followed by a fourth place on Anna Bella 2 in the Seven-year-old 1.30m class, in which Niamh McEvoy placed seventh riding BP Tiny Dancer. Harry Allen on Engas Narinja placed fifth in the Eight-year-old 1.40m class.

On Wednesday, Dwan took second with California 159 in the morning Six-year-old 1.20m class, while in the Seven-year-old 1.30m class, Dalton was second with Philly Fogarty; Bertram Allen was third with Huricane de Champloue and Shane O’Reilly placed sixth with BWE Vain Hero and 10th with BWE Special Rose.

In the afternoon’s Six-year-old 1.20m class, Dwan and Ijump placed third, while Niamh McEvoy and BP Tiny Dancer won the Seven-year-old 1.30m class.

Winning form

Thursday saw Dwan win the Six-year-old 1.20m class with California 159, while Alex Finney on CMG Winchester placed 10th.

Dwan was definitely on winning form, as he secured the top spot in the Medium Tour 1.30m class with Cascalino 7. In the morning’s Seven-year-old 1.30m class, O’Reilly placed sixth with BWE Vain Hero, while the Five-year-old 1.10m class saw Dalton place ninth with Thiamme Nafi VTS.

The Irish were in the ribbons again in the afternoon’s Seven-year-old 1.30m class, where Dwan was second on Anna Bella 2, Rhys Williams was fifth on BP Rocket Man and Bertram Allen was sixth on Grimble.

There was no jumping on Friday, but competition was back in full swing on Saturday, where Patrick Hickey took second with Claudine Fly and Dwan took third with Cascalino 7 in the Big Tour 1.35m class. Joanne Sloan-Allen placed 10th in the 1.10m class riding Wicked Hope, while in the 1.20m, Brian Cassidy on Party Popper were third and Charles O’Reilly Hyland on Balumba Z were seventh.

Ivan Dalton on Plaisire D’Api placed third in the Small Tour 1.45m class, while Katie McEntee rode Roundthorn Hercules into third place in the Small Tour 1.30m class.

In the 80cm-1m Pony class, Mischa Lennon placed fourth on Giorgio de Balizac.

Sunday’s Medium Tour 1.50m Grand Prix saw the win going to Britain’s Sameh El Dahan riding Joanne Sloan-Allen’s Irish Sport Horse mare, WKD Aimez Moi, while Bertram Allen on Castigo de Amor was runner-up.

The 1.35m Grand Prix saw Max O’Reilly Hyland on Babar de Bussy take third place and Harrison Blair on X Flow Lightyear 2 finished sixth.

Brian Cassidy on Party Popper took ninth place in the 1.25m class and Leah Stack on Rose Marie I placed ninth in the Medium Tour 1.30m class.

Alexander Butler on Pico finished joint-sixth in the Small 1.45m Grand Prix, while in the Small Tour 1.45m Grand Prix, Ivan Dalton on Plaisire D’Api was second and Daniel McAlinden on Java QP placed fourth.

Patrick Hickey on Claudine Fly won the Medium Tour 1.40m class.

The Small Tour 1.40m class saw Alex Finney on Absolutely Kingmar Z finish eighth, followed by Susan Fitzpatrick on Keatingstown Mister Cool in 10th.

Daniel McAlinden on AHG Whiterock Doctor Cruise won the Small Tour 1.30m class, with Katie McEntee on Roundthorn Hercules in sixth and Shane O’Reilly on BWE Valdi Semilly in seventh.

Mischa Lennon on Giorgio de Balizac had a great conclusion to the show when they won the 1m Pony class.