Ireland’s Darragh Kenny finished third in the lucrative Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva on Sunday afternoon.
There were 40 starters in the 1.60m competition of whom 11 progressed to the jump-off round. Five riders went clear again over the shortened course with Kenny’s time of 39.38 on Ann Thompson’s Balou du Reventon being good enough to secure third place.
Home in 38.41 with Pret A Tout, Germany’s Marcus Ehning claimed the first prize of CHF400,000 (€350,000 - plus a €250,000 bonus) while the home crowd favourite, Steve Guerdat, slotted into second on Albfuehren’s Bianca (38.86).
Devon-based Tipperary native Padraig McCarthy, who won the indoor cross-country competition in Geneva on Saturday, will be in Ireland this week to speak at Horse Sport Ireland’s international breeding conference which takes place on Thursday in the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge.
Winner of team and individual silver medals in the eventing competition at the World Equestrian Games in September, McCarthy will be one of seven contributors at the conference which has as its theme ‘Think bigger, learn more, breed for the future’. The conference will address breeding choices/bloodlines, production, management and preparation of competition horses for optimum performance.
Tickets, which cost €25 and cover lunch, must be booked and paid for in advance. For further information see www.horsesportireland.ie/breeding/breeding-events.
Sally Corscadden, who led the Irish riders to that first world championship team medal in Tryon and secured Olympic qualification, is among the nominees for RTE’s sports manager of the year award.
