Irish riders Cian O'Connor and Darragh Kenny made the perfect start to 2010 by taking major wins across two continents on Sunday.

O'Connor, who's final competition of 2009 resulted in his win in the Olympia Grand Prix kicked off the New Season with a major bang in the 4* Show in Basel in Switzerland.  Having already landed two classes with Irish Independent Echo Beach over the weekend and a second with Splendor, O'Connor took his Olympia winner Rancorrado for the Grand Prix at the inaugural running of the show.

Although both Jessica Kuerten and Billy Twomey faulted in the first round, the eventual winner and Denis Lynch made no such mistake and they were two of the four clears to make it to the deciding round.

Lynch however, took 20 faults to leave him in fourth.  However, O'Connor who was last to go only needed a clear to ensure of victory.  A steady clear round with a single time fault was enough for him to secure the €37,000 first prize. 

"Days like today, though, are the result of a lot of hard work down through the years from a lot of people, but the main accolades must go to the horses," said the Meath-based rider.

Jessica Kuerten also made the top spot in Basel by taking a double of wins with Castle Forbes Cosma to make the Irish tally to five wins in total at the CSI 4* show.

Meanwhile in America on the opening weekend of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, Darragh Kenny took a second win in a World Cup Qualifier at the CSI 2* show in Glen Cove Springs.

The 21 year old now holds a strong hand for qualification to the World Cup Finals in Geneva in April having taken a win in Syracruise in November.  Again riding the 14 year old Obelix, Kenny provided a faultless performance to take home the €20,800 top prize ahead of Maclain Ward and Lauren Hough.

Irish Team Chef D'Equip Robert Splaine commented on the successful Irish weekend by saying; This has been a fantastic week for Irish show jumping and a great start for the sport in 2010. All our riders excelled, with Cian O'Connor and Jessica Kurten taking five wins between them at Basel, and Cian winning the show's leading rider award against a really high-class field of international riders.

"In America we also had Darragh Kenny winning the World Cup Qualifier at Green Cove Springs in Florida.   To win two World Cup Qualifiers is an outstanding achievement, and this should now put Darragh in a very strong position to qualify for the World Cup Final in Geneva this April. These results certainly augur well for the rest of the year's show jumping.''

IT WAS Cian O'Connor's day at Cavan Equestrian Centre this afternoon (Sunday) when he took first and second place in the Grand Prix.

Competing in this second leg of the HSI Chippison Spring Tour, the 30 year-old Meath-based rider put the Danish-bred gelding 'Complete' - owned by Stephen O'Connor and Castlemartin Stud - across the line in 33.56 seconds, ahead of 15 others who had qualified for the jump-off from a startlist of 32.

Leading from early on with the 13 year-old gelding 'Splendor', O'Connor had only his own time to beat and 'Complete' obliged by stopping the clock three quarters of a second faster than his stablemate.

O'Connor said afterwards: "This is a great league, as it encourages young riders and amateurs to take the step up to Grand Prix level. I'm very happy with the horses today - this is 'Splendor's' first outing in six weeks, while 'Complete' is just back from a 12 week break. I'm also happy with today's wages!"

Third place at Cavan went to Clem McMahon and 'Valentino', while last week's winner, 17 year-old Conor Drain, had to settle for tenth place this afternoon when 'Urchin' collected four faults, but once again took the Young Rider award.

Previously known as the 'HSI Guidam Spring Tour', the HSI Chippison Spring Tour 2010 sees new sponsors John and Marie Burke coming on board with Horse Sport Ireland and the Showjumpers Club. Thoroughbred Remedies, Darragh Equestrian Solutions, Comfort Zone, Jaguar Saddles and Showjumping Ireland are supporting the Tour.

Horse Sport Ireland, in addition to their sponsorship, will provide a prize fund of 1,000 euro for the highest placed Irish Sport Horse in the league. Five hundred euro will be awarded to the breeder of that horse and 500 euro to the owner. The Showjumpers Club will award 2,000 euro to the overall winner of the league and 750 euro to the runner up.

The Tour will run at 13 venues, finishing in Coilog Eventing, Co. Kildare, on April 18, 2010.

SHOW JUMPING RESULTS: HSI CHIPPISON SPRING TOUR, CAVAN EQUESTRIAN CENTRE, CO. CAVAN

GRAND PRIX
1m35
Second Leg of 2010 HSI Chippison Spring Tour
Presented by the Show Jumpers' Club in Association with TRI Equestrian
Sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland and Cavan Equestrian Centre
Cavan Equestrian Centre, Co. Cavan
Sunday February 21, 2010

1) Complete (Owner Stephen O'Connor & Castlemartin Stud); Cian O'Connor Faults 0.00/0.00 Time 33.56
2) Splendor (Owner Stephen O'Connor & Cian O'Connor); Cian O'Connor Faults 0.00/0.00 Time 34.01
3) Valentino (FEI) (Owner Bingham and McMahon); Clem McMahon Faults 0.00/0.00 Time 35.47
4) Ashbourne (FEI) (Owner Jim Monks); John Floody Faults 0.00/0.00 Time 36.79
5) Samgemjee (ISH) (Owner Catherine Doyle); Edward Doyle Jnr Faults 0.00/0.00 Time 38.99
6) Touch Of Dawn (ISH) (Owner Old Mill House Stud); Alan Creighton Faults 0.00/0.00 Time 39.31

32 starters, 16 through to jump-off

CONOR DRAIN WINS OPENING CHIPPISON SPRING TOUR IN RAVENSDALE

With a prize fund of 2,500 euro up for grabs by Sean Cooney of Botanica International, it was 17 year-old Conor Drain from Co. Antrim who took first place in the inaugural Grand Prix of the Chippison Spring Tour, held at Ravendsale Lodge in Co. Louth this afternoon (Sunday).

Riding his mother Geraldine's mare 'Fine Filly', Drain, who was the only Young Rider in the ten horse jump-off, shaded runner-up Clem McMahon and 'Valentino' by well over a second to take the Chippison trophy.

Drain has five Grand Prix victories from the previous league under his belt, and expressed his delight at the first win of the 2010 league and also at receiving the show's Leading Young Rider award.

Third place today went to Paddy O'Donnell and 'Orman'.

Previously known as the 'HSI Guidam Spring Tour', 2010 sees new sponsors John and Marie Burke coming on board with Horse Sport Ireland and the Showjumpers Club. Thoroughbred Remedies, Darragh Equestrian Solutions, Comfort Zone, Jaguar Saddles and Showjumping Ireland are supporting the Tour.

Horse Sport Ireland, in addition to their sponsorship, will provide a prize fund of 1,000 euro for the highest placed Irish Sport Horse in the league. Five hundred euro will be awarded to the breeder of that horse and 500 euro to the owner. The Showjumpers Club will award 2,000 euro to the overall winner of the league and 750 euro to the runner up.

The Tour will run at 13 venues, finishing in Coilog Eventing, Co. Kildare, on April 18, 2010.

Does Horse Feed Contain ‘Bute’? Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences

Our Hypothesis: ‘Does Horse Feed Contains ‘Bute’?’
Our investigation was to prove or disprove our hypothesis. Phenylbutazone (‘bute’)- is used as a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID). At the outset of our project ‘bute’ was a Federation Equestrian Ireland (FEI) Class A Prohibited Substance for competition horses, but during our investigation it has become a very controversial topic. It has been decided by Federation Equestre Internationale general assembly to allow the restricted use of the anti-inflammatory Phenylbutazone in competition horses.

Click here to read the full report

SILLOGUE DARKIE IS NAMED PONY OF THE DECADE

Eamon Briscoe's Sillogue Darkie has won the Connemara Pony of the Decade by taking 38% of the vote in a poll of over 1200 Pony enthusiasts from all over the world. With a margin of over 57 votes he overcame nearest rival the French Pony Dexter Leam Pondi.

For his performances in Ireland's Pony Premier League Series with Michael Duffy aboard he also recently received an award for the Overall Leading Pony in 2009. This was the second consecutive year that the Connemara gelding was the recipient.

The best of riders in Ireland have ridden him such as Alexander Butler, Benny Kenuhle, David Blake, Jessica Burke and now Michael.  Darkie also won a bronze medal with Jessica.  In 2009 he was a winner on the Pony Premier League, formed part of the Silver Medal winning European Team and was also a winner abroad on several occasions.

ShowjumpingIreland would like to congratulate all those connected to Sillogue Darkie and wish them the best for 2010 and the years ahead.