Duffy dominates Amsterdam

Ireland’s Michael G. Duffy delivered outstanding performances in Amsterdam to be crowned leading rider of the show. His first win came on Friday evening when he partnered Carl Hanley Sporthorses and Equine Management’s Chappo Chey to victory in the 1.45m two-phase competition. He finished in a time of 24.61, closely followed by Sweeden’s Rolf-goran Bengtsson and Yajamila in second (24.89) and Piet Raijmakers Jr. of The Netherlands in third riding Van Schijndel’s Promotion.

Duffy had two good placings on Saturday, finishing third with Castlefield Rubinus in the Accumulator and sixth with Chappo Chey in the 1.50m class, just behind Cameron Hanley and Eis Isaura in fifth. Duffy rounded off the weekend with another win, this time with Castlefield Rubinus in a time of 34.52 in the 1.45m jump-off. John Whitaker finished on 34.97 with Argento and Daniel Deusser was third in a time of 35.71 with Equita van t Zorgvliet.

Florida win for Kenny

OFFALY'S Darragh Kenny scored Ireland’s biggest win so far at the 2018 Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, when landing the $132,000 Adequan three-star Grand Prix on Saturday night, with the 11-year-old gelding Cassini Z.

This was the third week of the Winter Equestrian Festival, which continues until April 1st at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida and offers more than $9 million in prize money.

Kenny and Cassini Z – who is owned by Bowers Cone LLC – were one of 16 combinations who made it through to the jump-off from 45 starters.

They were 12th to go in the jump-off and were chasing a time of 39.36 seconds set by Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) and Cristalline. Kenny was fast from the start and never let up to post what proved a winning time of 38.21.

Jessica Springsteen, daughter of rock legend Bruce Springsteen, came closest to catching Kenny, finishing just two-hundredths of a second slower with RMF Swinny du Parc.

“I think the two girls’ horses have quite a big stride,” Kenny said of the jump-off. “So, one to two, definitely Adrienne got there pulling at the end.

Podium finish for Allen

Bertram Allen and Gin Chin van het Lindenhof took third place in last Friday’s 1.55m Longines five-star Grand Prix in Zürich after jumping clear in 37.37 seconds.

Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and Clooney gave the home crowd the perfect finish with a winning clear in 35.12 when last to jump. That pushed Italy’s Luca Maria Moneta into second spot with Connery with a time of 35.68.

New officers join army equitation school

Second Lieutenants Adam Benson-Byrne and James Whyte will both join the Irish Army Equitation School, having completed their cadetship.

Prior to being awarded his equitation cadetship, 22-year-old Benson-Byrne from Redcross, Co Wicklow worked in north Germany, riding horses for Markus Waterhues. He also completed a level six course in Kildalton Agricultural College. Just 20 years of age Whyte, from Legan, Co Longford was studying mechanical engineering in Athlone Institute of Technology prior to being awarded his equitation cadetship.

New online Horse Care and Welfare Course

The Irish Horse Welfare Trust (IHWT) have launched a new online Horse Care and Welfare Course in association with RACE and Horse Racing Ireland. The course is comprised of eight online modules covering all of the basic elements involved in the correct care and management of horses and ponies, along with two practical modules which provide an opportunity to put new learning into practice.

It is hosted on the Charity’s Learner Management System (LMS) which allows easy access from PCs, laptops, tablets and phones and content is delivered through blended learning using text, diagrams, videos and voiceover. A quiz after each module provides assessment of participant progress and for overall group evaluation.

This new initiative by the charity aims to provide a wider reach with it’s education courses in a more cost effective way and is suitable for groups and individuals alike, it is hoped that the course will also act as stepping stone for young people wishing to progress to a career working with horses.