Press release from Split Rock Jumping Tour

Five weeks of hunter and jumper competition at Terranova Equestrian Center concluded this week with the $100,000 Dutta Corporation CSI2* Grand Prix. It was a battle between 32 horse and rider combinations on Saturday afternoon. The Split Rock Jumping Tour collaborated with Terranova Equestrian Center to wrap up the Winter Series for an exciting fifth-week finale.

Peter Holmes (USA) and William Robertson (USA) crafted an impressive 13-effort track with a time allowed of 80 seconds. Only four of the seven nations returned for the challenging 8-effort short course with 11 horse rider combinations. Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Lightning (Kannan x Animo) kicked off the jump off and set the tone with a pace of 43.31, unfortunately having a rail totaling their score to 4 faults. This pair has already proven successful this week, winning the $32,000 C. Jarvis Insurance CSI2* Welcome Prix.

Paul O-Shea (IRL) and Spy (Centadel x Chacco-Blue) rose to the occasion, becoming the first clear of the pack, establishing a quick and clean time of 42.69, sliding into the leading position. The pair left no room for error for the remaining 8 combinations. The jump-off continued to prove to be very difficult, only allowing one additional clear with Mario Deslauriers (CAN) and Inside of My Heart (L.B. Crumble x Cassini I) with a time of 44.06 seconds, claiming the runner-up position on the podium. Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Lightning’s speedy time led them to being the quickest of the four faulter's rounding off the podium.  

Paul O'Shea and Spy ultimately claimed top honors. The 11-year-old gelding owned by Team Eye Candy, Andrea Sinner, and Patricia Hurter and groomed by Davide Troncanetti, had the fastest time by almost a whole second and was one of only two double clears in the 11-horse jump-off. Talking about the difficulty of the track, O’Shea gushes, “He gave an extra effort over the last fence, so it just showed what a great horse he is.” O’Shea’s partnership with Spy started 4 years ago and has proven successful over their career.

Looking ahead, the tour will be back in Lexington for the Kentucky International CSI5* Presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in the last week of April 24 – 27, 2025. In conjunction with the Land Rover Three-Day Event, this event showcases the world’s highest level of equestrian eventing and showjumping all in one week. Split Rock will continue to host an exciting three weeks of competition in June at the Kentucky Horse Park, culminating with the Adequan/ USEF Junior Hunter National Championship- East.