Sweetnam wins three events in four days

WELLINGTON — Shane Sweetnam of Ireland won his third major event in four days Sunday at windswept Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Sweetnam and Chaqui Z topped a large jump-off field of 17 to win the $216,000 CSIO 4 Grand Prix in the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Sweetnam posted the fastest clear round in a blistering 41.79 seconds to overtake early leader Ali Wolff, a St. Andrew’s alum. Countryman Conor Swail and Rubens LS La Silla were a close second in 41.82. Wolff and Casall finished third in 43.02.

Sweetnam was a member of Ireland’s four-man team that won the $150,000 FEI Nations Cup Friday night, a day after he and his gelding Cobolt won the $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 8 with the fastest clear round in 69.13.

“This is a dream week for me,” Sweetnam said. “Any week of WEF if you can win the WEF and grand prix, it nearly can make a WEF. So for us to win the WEF, Nations Cup and then the grand prix, it’s amazing.

“With 17 in the jump-off, I was thinking I had no hope. It worked out really well. I was quick and he did the turns super. Lucky enough I lasted.”

It was the first week of showing for Wolff ’s 12-year old horse she’s had for five years. Wolff won leading lady rider honors for the week.

“We’ve just kind of been bringing him up the ranks,” Wolff said. “He’s pretty seasoned now. He’s just been phenomenal for me and my career.”

I n t h e S a t u rd ay Ni g h t L i g h t s e v e n t , t e e n a g e r Lucy Deslauriers and Hester knocked off a world-class field to win the $100,000 Suncast 1.50-meter Championship Jumper Classic.

Deslauriers, 17, the youngest in the seven-rider jumpoff, and her 12-year-old Bel- gian Warmblood gelding, wo n w i t h d o u b l e c l e a r rounds including a 37.06-second jump-off. Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Bolero III were second in 37.28.

It was Deslauriers’ biggest career victory and first time she competed with Hester in a major night class.

“It was incredible,” Deslauriers said. “Hester definitely felt the atmosphere tonight. He really thrives on that sort of situation. He feels a crowd. He knew it was time to perform.

“T h e f i e l d wa s p r e t t y intimidating. I knew there were a bunch of really fast combinations behind me. I am lucky my horse is super quick.”

In other events earlier in the week:

Two weeks after winning in Ocala, the Irish team of Cian O’Connor, Paul O’Shea, C o n o r Swa i l a n d Swe e t - nam won the $150,000 FEI Nations Cup with a t woround score of four faults. The U.S. team of Georgina Bloomberg, Catherine Tyree, Chloe Reid and Wolff finished second with 13 faults. Brazil was third with 16 faults.

Sweetnam and 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Cobolt also won the $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 8 with the fastest clear round in 69.13. Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee and Valinski S were second in a clear round 69.91

Jimmy Torano of Wellington and Betagravin won the $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45-meter Classic. Torano and the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare won in 64.53. Margie Engle of West Palm Beach and Bockmanns Lazio were second in 66.61.

Eugenio Garza of Mexico and Victer Finn DH Z won the $35,000 Hollow Creek Farm Under-25 Welcome Series Grand Prix with the fastest round of 31.10 in the seven-rider jump-off.

Mc L a i n Ward a n d HH Carlos Z won the $25,000 Nutrena Jumper Classic with double clear rounds and a 39.50 jump-off.