Kent Farrington (USA) and Kent Farrington LLC’s Orafina were victorious in the $139,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* with a time of 39.06 seconds. Luiz Francisco De Azevedo (BRA) and Eurohorse BVBA’s Nashville (Diamant De Semilly x Darco), the 2013 Belgian Warmblood gelding, took the second place position with a time of 39.39 seconds. Rounding out the podium was Maria Gabriela Brugal Gasso (DOM) and BG Stables LLC’s J’Adore Flamenco, the 2012 Anglo-Arab gelding (Je T’aime Flamenco x Corofino 2), with a time of 41.69 seconds.
Thirty-three entries contested Michel Vaillancourt’s (CAN) course, with seven pairs advancing to the short course. Farrington and the 2012 Dutch Warmblood mare Orafina (For Fashion x Canturo) were able to produce a round that couldn’t be bested, despite some communication issues in the first round, he recapped.
“I tried a new bridle today. It felt great in the practice class, and then as soon as I went over number one, I knew that I was in trouble and it was going to be a long way around the ring. We managed to get through the first round, and then I changed the equipment a little bit for the jump off, and it was so much better.”