THE 60th edition of the IICH Groningen was held in Martiniplaza from December 21, 2023 to January 6, 2024, with a first show running from December 21st to 31st and a second from January 2nd to 6th. The IICH Groningen is an international two-star competition in The Netherlands. It was first run in the Sorghvliethal in Veendam and later moved to the Eurohallen in Zuidbroek. This was the first time for it to be held in the Martiniplaza in Groningen. The show attracts competitors from all over the world and the Irish were among them!

At last week’s show, Co Meath’s Conan Wright provided a great ending to the show on Thursday in the CSI2* 1.40m Big Tour First Qualifier. Wright managed to beat Dutch rider Jur Vrieling in an exciting jump-off, with a difference of half a second in favour of the Irishman.

Wright and JSH Ice Man managed to jump clear in the fastest time of 27.96 seconds in the penultimate jump-off stage. Earlier, Jur Vrieling had set a time of 28.50 seconds with Lhynara. He was more than a second faster than Pim Mulder (Dalfsen), whose time of 29.53 turned out to be good for third place.

Of the 55 combinations that started in the first round, 11 participants ultimately rode the jump-off. The 2Join Prize was the first qualification for the Grand Prix Rabobank, which is the climax of the IICH Groningen on Saturday evening.

Wright was followed in fifth place by another Irish rider, Kiefer Dawson Stanley riding Jumping Jack van de Kalevallei, while Conor Drain finished 11th on the Irish Sport Horse Covehill Archie.

Shane Dwan and Cascalino 7 won the 1.35m Medium Tour Second Qualifier on Friday \ Mariol Middel

Irish placings

Competition had got underway on Tuesday, January 2 and Co Tipperary’s Shane Dwan started as he meant to go on, taking seventh place in the 1.20m class with Simply de Regor.

There was no competition on Wednesday, but on Thursday, in the CSI2* 1.30m Small Tour First Qualifier, Dwan took fifth place with Cascalino 7.

Friday’s 1.30m Small Tour Second Qualifier saw Shane Dwan finish in third place with Viva la Vida, which he followed up by winning the 1.35m Medium Tour Second Qualifier on Cascalino 7.

Dwan had another top 10 finish in Saturday’s CSI1* 1.20m Consolation class, when he took 10th place riding Simply de Regor.

The CSI2* 1.35m Final Small Tour class saw a sixth place finish for Dwan and Viva la Vida, with Conor Drain and Lionheart in 11th. Drain then went on to finish sixth himself with Kathleen-KI in the CSI1* 1.30m Final, followed by a ninth place in the CSI2* 1.40m Medium Tour Final with Hadisse van Prinseveld.