Horse Sport Ireland: Show Jumping - McGuigan Takes Victory for Ireland in Florida Grand Prix

Source: News Release/Colin McClelland

Show Jumping - McGuigan Takes Victory for Ireland in Florida Grand Prix

IN THE early hours of this morning (Sunday) Ireland's Ronan McGuigan won the $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix in Florida against a strong international field.

The 39 year-old from Omagh in Co. Tyrone, was piloting his own ten year-old gelding Capall Zidane, and left all the poles up in the first round to qualify for the jump-off under floodlights at the two-star Palm Beach venue.

His second round against eight other combinations saw the Irish rider deliver a scorching time of 39.92, which proved unbeatable, leaving the Tyrone man holding the winner's trophy.

Afterwards he said of the horse: "I've had him since he was a five-year-old. I bought him at the Hendrix auction, and I actually never went to try him. I just bought him off a DVD. When I bought him, all of my Irish pals called him the 'internet horse,' but I had the last laugh tonight. He has been very consistent since I've had him."

Splaine Names Ireland's Four Points Venues for 2014 Nations' Cup League

IN AN interview with www.irishhorse.tv this week, Ireland's show jumping manager Robert Splaine revealed the four venues he has selected for Irish teams to bid for points in the 2014 Furusiyya FEI Nations' Cup series.

They will be La Baule, France (May 15-18), Rotterdam, Holland (18-22 June), Hickstead, Britain (31 July-3 August) and Dublin Horse Show (6-10 August).

Under the new rules introduced in 2013, the world's elite show jumping nations may compete in eight venues but will only be able to gain points in four.

Splaine says in the interview: "It's an interesting new concept and is more horse-friendly, but it means our teams do not have eight venues at which to gain points, as before, but just four. This means we have to field our strongest four combinations every time we tog out at these shows."

For the full video interview with Robert Splaine, click IrishHorse.tv interview.

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