Irish Sport Horses have been stealing the limelight with brilliant winning performances around the world in recent weeks.

At the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida (USA) last Saturday night (27 February), Bertram Allen’s exciting new talent, Pacino Amiro, scorched to victory in the $401,000 Lugano Diamonds 5-Star Grand Prix. The nine-year-old bred by Simon Scott and owned by another Donegal native Aiden McGrory was super-fast when second to go in the five-horse jump-off, and his time just couldn’t be bettered.

The gelding placed sixth in his 5-Star Grand Prix debut in Wellington two weeks earlier when another Irishman, Cork’s Shane Sweetnam, claimed top spot with Alejandro. So 25-year-old Allen was delighted when he increased the pressure last Saturday and the relatively inexperienced gelding rose effortlessly to the challenge with a superb winning performance. Pacino Amiro is by Pacino (BWP) out of Carnone Dancing Queen (ISH) by NC Amiro (AES).

“He’s still young, and to go clear in his first 5-Star Grand Prix and win the second one is really fantastic! He was produced in Ireland until halfway through his seven-year-old year by Kenneth Graham who competed him at Dublin Horse Show and he came to me after that. I did as much as I could with him over the last year or so and when things slowed right down in Europe I decided to build him up for here in Florida, and I couldn’t be happier with him. We’ll see how he develops and take it as it comes, but I think he could be a championship horse this year because he’s doing everything I ask of him and making it look easy!”, Allen says.

Wexford-born Allen who is based in Hunxe, Germany is on a roll after producing a double of wins with his brand new ride, Castlefield Vegas, the previous weekend (20/22 February). 

Although he had only been partnered with this horse for two weeks, he steered the 11-year-old grey to win the 3-Star Grand Prix qualifier, and in the $137,000 IDA Grand Prix the pair defeated 17 other combinations in the second-round jump-off to top the podium. 

“He just came here and hit the ground running - I never expected to hit it off with him so quickly and he’s really competitive!”, Allen says.

Bred by John Clarke in Cavan and owned jointly by the rider, Castlefield Farm and Martin Egan, Castlefield Vegas is by Cassino (SWWB) out of Clarkes Quiet Optimistic (ISH) by Lux Z (HANN) and has an excellent record of results. He previously competed up to 5-Star level with Castlefield Sport Horses’ Ger O’Neill in the saddle and has been on three winning Nations Cup teams. 

In 2018 the horse carried Jason Foley to individual gold and team bronze at the FEI Junior European Championships in Fontainebleau (FRA) and last summer Foley, aged just 19 and making his Nations Cup debut, jumped double-clear with the ever-reliable grey to help seal Irish victory at the FEI Nations Cup in Drammen, Norway. 

On the same team that day were Michael G Duffy and Lapuccino 2 (ISH), and last Sunday this pair galloped to victory in the 4-Star Grand Prix at Vejer de la Frontera in Spain. Owned by Carl Hanley Sport Horses the 13-year-old stallion is by SIEC Livello (HOLST) out of Cabaret lll (BHD) and was bred by Sven Kapp in Galway. 

Duffy and the grey-roan have had a consistently successful career together. The Mayo rider said on Sunday, “Lapuccino has been with me for five or six years and with each passing year he makes things better. He has taken me all over the world and I adore him. Today he gave everything for me, and winning this Grand Prix is very special!”  

IRISH SPORT HORSES – BE THE BEST, BUY IRISH.

If you are looking to purchase an Irish Horse, visit www.irishhorsegateway.ie, Horse Sport Ireland’s online platform for buying and selling Irish Horse and ponies.