Luck of Irish for O’Shea in MARS Equestrian GP
WELLINGTON — Paul O'Shea may have had a little Irish luck during the four-star $215,000 MARS Equestrian Grand Prix Saturday at the Winter Equestrian Festival's Equestrian Village Derby Field.
The Irish Olympian got the chance to watch countryman David O'Brien go first in the three-rider jump-off, which may have led to his victory. O'Shea and his 16-year-old Belgian warmblood gelding, Imerald Van't Voorhof, had double clear rounds including the fastest jump-off in 39.63 seconds to win his first major grand prix of the year and $70,950 in prize money.
“I was lucky to be able to see David [O'Brien] go, and in the first line he did eight but I could see there was a seven there,” O'Shea said. “When David had one down, it made sense to go quite fast because even if I had one down but was quicker than him I could still be second, and also put pressure on Mimi [Gochman]. It worked out for us.”
American teenager Mimi Gochman, 19, and Celina BH also had double clears to finish second in 40.79 ($43,000). O'Brien and his 12-year-old Oldenburg stallion, El Balou OLD, were third with four faults and 40.25 jump-off to win $32,250.
The course, designed by Brazil's Anderson Lima, proved challenging for several top riders, including McLain Ward, Kent Farrington and Laura Kraut who failed to make the jump-off.
“It was a long way around, and on the last line up the hill, maybe some of the horses were a little bit tired by then,” said O'Shea, who owns his horse with Emerald Partners and Equestrian Farms.
“He's been a super horse for me, he's done amazing things over the five years we have been together,” O'Shea said. “We jumped double clear in the Nations Cup at Hickstead, which was a big thing for me because I always watched Hickstead growing up. He also won the Queen's Cup in Spruce Meadows and he won the five-star Grand Prix at the Palm Beach Masters so he's done a lot of really good things and he feels as good as ever.”
Irish Olympian Shane Sweetnam was awarded the Martha Jolicoeur Leading International Rider Award after finishing fourth in the grand prix and top five finish in the WEF Challenge Cup.
British rider Grace Debney wins Griffis Residential Grand Prix
On Sunday, British rider Grace Debney and Zarina de Vidau won the $62,000 FEI 2 Griffis Residential Grand Prix with double clear rounds and fastest jump-off of 37.69. She won $20,625.
Also on Sunday, Ireland finished one-two in the $62,500 FEI 4 Hermes 1.50-meter Classic. Shane Sweetnam and Irandole Du Flot won with double clears and 38.4 jump-off just ahead of fellow countryman Cian O'Connor and Eve D'Ouilly, who also had double clears and finished in 38.95. They pocketed $20,625 and $12,500 respectively.
WEF continues through March 31. This week's highlight is the “Saturday Night Lights” five-star $385,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix at 7 p.m. and Sunday's $62,500 FEI 5 Hermes 1.50-meter and $62,500 FEI 2 1st Racing Grand Prix.
General admission is free. Parking is $20 per car. The venue is located at 3400 Equestrian Club Drive, just off South Shore and Pierson Road. For information call 561-793-5867.