CSI3 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m; 2445, CINDERELLA Z, DYLAN DALY; Sportfot
LGCT Mexico City– Mexico City, Mexico
– 16 April 2026
– ph.Ljuba Buzzola
The Longines Global Champions Tour made its sole visit to Latin America when arriving at Campo Marte in Mexico City for its second leg and there was a strong Irish representation from the off as Cian O’Connor and Jordan Coyle filled second and third in Thursday’s opening five-star class, a 1.45m two-phase competition in which there were 54 contestants.
Belgian Jérôme Guery took the spoils with Careca LS Elite and with a double clear, set the unbeatable time in the speed portion as the last duo from the opening group, posting 29.18 seconds
Coyle and King Kannan GP (owned by Elan Farm) were in early after the break and set a quick time of 30.32 that had them in the silver medal position until the arrival of the very last combination to the sprawling grass arena, Cian O’Connor and Genghis Khan (Coolmore Showjumping).
The Olympic medallist gave it a good shot, taking exactly four-tenths of a second of Coyle’s standard and make it a very encouraging start for the Green Jackets.
It was the first of two runner-up finishes for O’Connor and his talented 10-year-old at the lucrative five-star show, as they excelled once more on Saturday in the 1.55m Trofeo Banorte.
This boasted a high-class field of 45, 14 of which progressed to the jump-off. And there would be no denying the fairytale hometown story of a Mexican winner, as Eugenio Garza Perez and Chalouries PS maintained their composure to go clear once more with an unbeatable standard of 36.55.
It was O’Connor and Genghis Khan that went closest, leaving all the jumps intact and stopping the clock in 37.44 to snaffle the silver medal and a cheque of €21,100.
The Longines Global Champions League leg took place the previous day and there were some notable performances and results by Irish athletes.
In the second of the two individual competitions, the 1.55m speed class, German-based Mayo pilot, Ciaran Nallon finished fourth with a clear with Casalla Blue PS (Beerbaum Stables) in 75.29, helping his team, Riesenbeck International climb to fifth.
A determined round from Max Wachman aboard Fancy de Kergane (Coolmore Showjumping/Susan Magnier) produced another clear in 75.90 seconds for sixth, coming after the duo had also been faultless in the first competition, while his New York Empire teammate, Michael Pender followed his opening clear round on the Ita Brennan-bred HHS Calais (ISH) with four faults on HHS Los Angeles (ISH), bred by Marion Hughes. That left New York narrowly missing the podium in fourth.
Earlier on Friday, there was a brilliant result for Susan Fitzpatrick, who was fifth in the Trofeo Banorte, a 1.60m speed class over a monster track. The size of the course was evidenced by the winning time recorded by Brazil’s Eduardo Pereira De Menezes and H5 Londontime of 73.64 seconds.
It was illustrated too in the fact that the Kilkenny rider and Lovely Stassi PS, the 10-year-old mare she owns in partnership with Rosemary Farm, were one of only five to post blemish-free rounds, auguring well for their future together the highest level.
There was three-star competition in Wellington and Kerry native, Dylan Daly pipped Paul O’Shea, from neighbouring Limerick, for the final podium position in Friday’s Grand Prix Qualifier. American Chloe Reid and Crossover 4 were the only combination to post a double clear, while Oliva Sweetnam, daughter of Corkman and World No 7, Shane, but representing her native USA, took the silver with the quickest four faults.
Daly and Cinderella Z (43.7) were pacier than O’Shea on Manglar LS La Silla (45.53) to garner the bronze medal position.
On Saturday, Mark McAuley also bagged a three-star bronze in Nancy, steering Django Ste Hermelle to a clear in 61.35 in a 1.45m speed class won by Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRA) with Rockwell RC, another Irish Sport Horse bred in Kilkenny, in this case, by Ronan Byrne.
On Friday, Eoin McMahon was a two-star winner at Sentower Park, guiding Disney Z to victory in a Grand Prix qualifier, a 1.45m jump-off class, clocking 35.59 in the tiebreaker while registering a second clear to garner the top rosette.
The following day, Denis Lynch was a silver medallist on the opening week of the Easter Tour with Junius Vd Heffinck Z in a 1.45m speed class in the Oakland Arena and the Tipperary athlete completed another good show by guiding Conterno-Blue PS to a double-clear third in the 1.45m Prijs Aloga Auction Grand Prix on Sunday.
BREEDING
HHS LOS ANGELES (ISH) – 2014 mare by Le Roi (ZDP) out of China Cavalier (ISH) by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Breeder: Marion Hughes. Owner: Bravo Hughes Ltd. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL).
HHS CALAIS (ISH) – 2011 gelding by Cavalier Royale (HOLST) out of MHS OBOS Cruise (ISH) by OBOS Quality (OLD). Breeder: Ita Brennan, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Bravo Hughes Ltd. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL).
ROCKWELL RC (ISH) – 2014 mare by Kannan (KWPN) out of Urban Sea (ISH) by Guidam (SF). Breeder: Ronan Byrne, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Ashford Farm, Sean Cubitt, Jana Wargers. Rider: Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRA).
