NORTH SALEM, N.Y.--The Irish continued their skein of victories, with Irishmen winning  three of the five classes on the first day of the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows on May 7.

Darragh Kenny on Rockstar (Photo by SEL Photography)With many looking ahead to the Paris Olympic Games this summer, nine countries will be represented in the Old Salem Farm International Arena during the shows, May 7-12 and May 14-19.

Two of the jumper classes had so many entries that there was a California split in both.

In the $4,000 Open Jumper 1.35m, 113 entries competed over Alan Wade/s course, with Darragh Kenny on Billy Legend winning one section of the California split in 23.652.

Kenny then returned to the winner’s circle in the $10,000 Open Jumper 1.40m to conclude Wednesday’s competition in the International Arena, riding Rockstar to win over a field of 45 entries with a clean round in 27.256 seconds.

“Everybody’s here, and everybody wants to get going,” Kenny said. “We all had a bit of a break after the Wellington circuit, so it’s nice to get in the ring and know my horses are feeling so good. I’ve had Rockstar for about a year and a half now, and he’s a really super horse. He’s just coming back and is in great form. He’ll jump in the $25,000 Old Salem Farm Jumper Classic this week and in the FEI classes next week; then we’ll go from there.”

 

SHULMAN DESIDERIO of Israel on Decurio won the other section of the $4,000 Open Jumper 1.35m with the speedy time of 22.119 seconds,

Ireland's Jonathan Corrigan put in the two fastest times for the first group in the $2,000 Open Jumper 1.25m, which had 103 entries and a California split.

Corrigan on iDream won the class with a clear round in 31.375 seconds, and he was second on Rembrand tin 34.165 seconds.

In the second group, Canada’s Erynn Ballard on Wadro’s Lerina won in 32.381 seconds.

The FEI inspection was held Wednesday afternoon for the upcoming FEI classes at Old Salem.