MYAKKA CITY, Fla.--Niamh Mcevoy of Ireland on BP Swifty won the $65,000 1.45m FEI CSI2* Grand Prix on Saturday, March 8 at the TerraNova Equestrian Center
Niamh Mcevoy on BP Swifty (Photo by Jessica Buehler)The class with 37 entries, 11 of which went clean to make the jump-off, was the penultimate grand prix event in the series, ahead of the $100,000 1.45m FEI CSI2* Grand Prix, part of the Split Rock Jumping Tour.
Mcevoy was the first to go clean, followed by 10 more entries, including Laura Kraut, Jad Dana of Lebanoan, and Friday’s winner in $32,000 1.45m FEI Welcome, Paul O’Shea.
Mcevoy set the time to beat at a fast, uncatchable time of 35.400 seconds.
“The jump off was a really nice course today,” she said. “The ground was brilliant and there were 11 clear, which is a good amount for a competitive jump off. I was first to go today but this horse is really careful and fast, so I just wanted to go as quickly as possible and she was really good. I was delighted with her."
“She is quite a new horse to me,” she said. “Greg Broderick bought her just before we came here. She was amazing in Ireland and has won loads of grand prix, so I'm really excited about her. This is definitely our biggest win together so far, but she feels in great form and ready to move up.”
“THIS IS our first season coming to America with horses,” Mcevoy said. “It’s been great so far and has been really educational for both me and the horses. This is such an amazing facility, I was really impressed. The ground was great, the courses were lovely, and the horses really enjoyed it, so we’re delighted to support it.”
Mia Bagnato on Cordiamo placed second, clean in 35.560 seconds, and Charlotte Jacobs on Korbach van de Renger was third in 36.260 seconds.
O'Shea on Hellcat won the $32,000 CSI2* Welcome Speed over a field of 37 on Friday..
“She really knows her job now so we barely jump her at home,” he said of Hellcat. “We really do very little homework at home; it’s mostly about keeping her happy and making a good plan. Today, Mia was really fast. I did one stride less to the double combination than her and maybe we got it there, but we were very close and it really could’ve gone either way.”
"We’re delighted to be here again,” he said. “We were here twice last year with Hellcat and it went great for her. There are just so many good riders here that it’s a very good place to get experience for a horse and rider. The grounds are fantastic, it's great to have the space, and the courses are lovely.”
Holding the lead for most of the class, Bagnato on Florida N placed second in 58.79 seconds and Kraut on newer mount, Lady D, was third in 59.34 seconds.
Keri Guanciale of Clarksburg, Md., on Quintero won the $5,000Natioanl Hunter Derby.
Guanciale had two good rounds, despite a drop in temperature, to earn a total of 174.00 points over the William Robertson-designed tracks.
“Today’s course was really fun to ride,” she said. “The way you could stay on the inside track to the high options was really fun and I love how they did the green grass wall. It was beautiful to come out of the turn to that. The high options were also very welcoming because of where they were on the course; it felt like you really got to show off the horse.”
Ireland's
