IT was a two-star Grand Prix win for Limerick’s Paul O’Shea on Saturday at Desert Horse Park in Thermal, California, riding the 12-year-old mare Hellcat. O’Shea finished a second-and-a-half ahead of British runner-up Amanda Derbyshire with Cornwall BH.

“Hellcat has a lot of character,” O’Shea said of his winning mount. “She’s an over-achiever; she really wants to give 120 percent. Most of the time, it’s just toning it down. I did ride her for a year and we had good success half the time. I started with her again six weeks ago and now I’m really trying to do as little as possible.”

James Chawke secured a one-two for Ireland in the $10,000 Welcome Speed class last Wednesday, riding One Edition and Nacara Van Berkenbroeck Z respectively. Chawke then won the Seven-year-old Young Jumper 1.30-1.35m class with Maria III and placed fourth with Constanzehof’s Toy Story.

1.50m win

Darragh Kenny and California Pie again showed their talent when they won the $76,000 five-star 1.50m class. Kenny was among the nine first round clears out of 40 starters and rode the fastest jump-off time of 72.46 seconds.

Thursday saw Chawke repeating his one-two of the previous day, but this time in the Seven-year-old Young Jumper 1.30-1.35m class, placing first with Maria III and second with Constanzehof’s Toy Story.

Paul O’Shea and Hellcat came third in the $39,000 two-star 1.45m Speed class, where the pair jumped double clear, with a jump-off time of 66.4 seconds.

Chawke was back in pole position on Friday, when winning the $1,500 1.30m Open Jumper class with Wrenwood Polly Pocket. The $15,000 Open Classic 1.45m class saw a runner-up place for Mark Kinsella and Marquis Le Beau Courally, when they finished less than half a second behind the winner, Martien Van Der Hoeven (USA) and Chance Encounter.

The $221,600 1.55m FEI five-star Grand Prix saw Darragh Kerins finish 10th with Lissino, while Darragh Kenny and California Pie placed 12th.

Chawke won the $1,000 1.20m Open Jumper class on Saturday with Betty Boop De Vidau. They were mere fractions of a second faster than second placed Marianno Maggi from Sweden. In the Seven-year-old class, Chawke placed first and third with Maria III and Constanzehof’s Toy Story respectively; the Irishman then won the $10,000 1.35m class with One Edition.

Meanwhile, Richie Moloney steered Rocksy Music into eighth place in the $76,000 five-star 1.50m class and, in the $571,000 1.50m Team Competition, Darragh Kenny accompanied Lillie Keenan and Nayel Nassar into third place.