Omagh’s Ronan McGuigan was the best of the Irish in last Sunday’s Grand Prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, clinching fifth place with his 10-year-old gelding, Capall Zidane.

The New Jersey-based Ulsterman was one of two Irish riders through to the jump-off at the Wellington venue but a single fence down denied him a chance at the winner’s trophy, which went instead to the USA’s Jack Hardin Towell and Man In Black.

Cork’s Shane Sweetnam also qualified for the final round but picked up eight faults on the Irish Sport Horse Solerina to finish in eight place.

Sweetnam and Solerina, however, were in the prize money with a second place at Wellington’s opening competition last Friday, while later that day Offaly’s Darragh Kenny produced an Irish victory in the feature class on board the French-bred Quiz.

At the Austrian Grand Prix in Villach Treffen, meanwhile, Denis Lynch produced Ireland’s best result with an 11th place on All Star 5, faulting once in the jump-off, with victory going to Italy’s Filippo Moyersoen and Loro Piana Canada with a double-clear round. Irish riders had a good weekend in the Austrian classes, with Mayo’s Cameron Hanley and 18-year-old Wexford rider Bertram Allen both featuring in top-10 placings.

Dubai’s three-star Grand Prix saw Kilkenny’s Marion Hughes take eighth place on the Irish Sport Horse Heritage HHS Fortuna, with first being taken by Qatar’s Hamad Ali Al Attya and LB Casanova.