Ciaran and Little Special in Red win the 4* Small Grand Prix under the Spanish sun

Last Wednesday, the second show week under the Spanish sun began in Vejer de la Frontera for Ciaran and his six horses. In the first class, the 6-year-old Zados impressed again and delivered a clear round. Alibaba was also clear in the two-phase jumping class for 6-year-old horses over 1.20 m but narrowly missed a placing. On Thursday, Zados R continued his confident performance from the previous day. With a fast and clear round, the 6-year-old grey secured third place out of 57 combinations. Also on Thursday, the 10-year-old Casalla Blue PS placed third in a 4* class over 1.50 m. Little Special in Red M and Dynar both delivered clear rounds in their 4* classes, but neither placed in the strong fields.

In the 1.45 m two-phase ranking class on Friday, Ciaran chose the 9-year-old Dynar (Diamant de Semilly x Clarimo) and qualified for the decisive second phase with a clear first round. The time in the second phase would have been enough to win, but Ciaran and Dynar crossed the finish line just one second faster than the winning pair while taking one rail down, dropping them to 19th place. In another 1.50 m ranking class on Friday, the 9-year-old Megalon K was clear round to 12th place out of over 70 combinations.

On Saturday, the 4* Small Grand Prix over 1.45 m took place, another class that counts for the Longines Ranking. Ciaran rode the 8-year-old Little Special in Red M. Seventeen of the 58 combinations qualified for the jump-off, including the Riesenbeck pair. As the sixth pair in the jump-off, Ciaran and Little Special in Red M took the lead. It got exciting once more when Imma Roquet Autonell from Spain entered the arena, attempting to beat Ciaran’s time. In the end, she finished second, and Ciaran won the class by one second.

With Casalla Blue PS, who had already placed third in the ranking class on Thursday, Ciaran started on Sunday in the 4* Grand Prix in the large grass arena of the Sunshine Tour. Only two of the 50 combinations qualified for the jump-off, and even Casalla Blue PS, who had jumped the course very confidently, had one rail down. However, as they had the fastest time in the first round, they ultimately finished fourth in the Grand Prix behind the two Irish riders Niamh McEvoy and Billy Twomey, who decided the victory in the jump-off between them, and the Portuguese Mario Wilson Fernandes, who completed the round without faults at the jumps and only 3 time faults.

James was also competing abroad this weekend at the 3* show in Herning. The 9-year-old Dia Chapila PS had a very good weekend, placing in classes on Thursday and Friday in the medium and big tours over 1.45 m and 1.40 m with two clear rounds each. In the medium tour final, a 1.45 m two-round ranking class, the top eleven of 44 combinations qualified for the second round, including James and Dia Chapila PS. With another clear round over a shortened course in the second round, the pair finished third in the final.

Next week, Ciaran will compete in Spain again, and a week later, Philipp and James will be at the CSI5* in Paris. Additionally, there will be a national show at the home venue in Riesenbeck on March 17 and 18.