Top placings for Irish show jumping riders in competitions around the world

Shane Sweetnam partnered the Irish Sport Horse James Kann Cruz to a second-place finish in the 1.60m CSI5* Grand Prix in Dinard, France on Sunday.

Sweetnam was one of 15 riders to jump clear in the opening round and progress to the jump-off. He successfully jumped clear in the time phase and stopped the clock in 43.22 seconds. Victory went to Austrian rider Max Kühner riding Elektric Blue P, in a time of 41.73 seconds.

Owned by Gizmo Partners LLC, James Kann Cruz is currently ranked 34th in world rankings and this result is his tenth top ten international finish to date in 2023.

Bred by Patrick Connolly, the ten-year-old gelding is Kannan (KWPN) out of CSF Telly Cruz (ISH) by Cruising (ISH).

Fellow Irish rider Michael Pender also finished inside the top ten. Riding the Irish Sport Horse HHS Los Angeles, he jumped double clear in 44.70 seconds to claim seventh place.

Bred by Marion Hughes and owned by Bravo Hughes Ltd, this nine-year-old mare is by Le Roi (ZDP) out of China Cavalier (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST).

On Saturday, Irish riders dominated in the 1.50m ranking class. Conor Swail won the class with Theo 160, owned by Mannon Farm.

Sweetnam was second with Out of the Blue SCF, owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC, and Tipperary's Denis Lynch was fourth with the Parco Sport Horses EST owned Vistogrand.

In the 1.50m Grand Prix CSI3* show at the same show, Pender finished fifth with HHS Calais. Another Irish Sport Horse, he is owned by Bravo Hughes Ltd and bred by Ita Brennan.

Matt Garrigan added to the Irish success over the course of the weekend when he won the 1.55m Grand Prix in the CSI4* Praha, Velka Chuchle, Czech Republic.

One of only five riders to make it into the jump-off, Garrigan was the only rider to jump clear, securing his place at the top of the podium.