The Irish anthem rings out across the arenas at Montenmedio

as Francis Derwin triumphs in the Diputación de Cádiz Grand Prix.

Irish, Michelle Kenny wins the 7yr old class with Mika, who hasn’t touched a pole over the three weeks of the Andalucía October Tour.

The highlight of the Tour was today’s Diputación de Cadiz sponsored, Grand Prix; a Longines Ranking class counting for the European Championships 2025.  The class was held in the iconic David Broome arena and was  1.55m, designed by Cédric Longis and included both a double and a triple in the first round with the last two elements of the triple also featuring in the jump off.

As many predicted an Irish whitewash in this class it was almost so with the top two and fourth place all Irish riders. First was Francis Derwin with the mare Parvati Aeg, who is nine.  She is by Arrezo VDL from a Darco mare.  Francis told us:  “We bought her when she was five, and I’ve rode her all along.  She was always like, very careful as a young horse and we took our time with her a bit, and she was always a very good jumper, only in the last couple of months she stepped up to these classes so its great to be able to win one”.  “ It was a lovely course I think it was the perfect amount of clear rounds, couldn’t have been any better I think.” In the jump off;  “the first three jumps were quite straight then were a bit twisting across the middle,  which suited my horse turning because she maybe hasn’t got the biggest strides, so it suits to be turning a bit.   I’m;  “very happy, delighted with her”.

In second place and 0.02s behind was Max Wachman with Fancy de Kergane who is also nine and jumping a super round that was much faster than it looked.  In  third  was the super Dourados 2 ridden by Duarte Seabra for Portugal, with a very elegant round and in fourth was Seamus Hughes Kennedy, who was first to go in the jump off on ESI Rocky.  In fifth place was home based rider Armando Trapote on his new ride who he is forming a firm partnership with, Conthargo-Blue.

The 1.45m and the 1.40m were speed classes. The winners of the 1.45m were  Thibault Philippaerts and Fufu Z, second were Luca Moneta and El Capone RK and third were Leticia Gil Riva and Amaretto Du Surgeon.

The podium places in the 1.40m went to Anthony Bourquard and Fifty Fifty Delacense,  Henk van de Pol with No Fathers Girl and Jodie Hall Mcateer, with Chica VH Ven Z.

The 1.35, and the 1.30m were both  2PhSp classes, in the former Henk van de Pol stepped up to the top of the podium with Evry VD Verbindingshoeve Z;  second was Seamus Hughes Kennedy with Castlefield Hera and third was Pilar Cordon Muro with Missouri Van’t Ruytershof.

The 1.30m was won by Patricia Segura and Valseuse de Terlong;  second was Rebecca McGoldrick with Cayello and in third was Nicolas Conrad with Cordato 3.

The winner of the  1.25m class was Matilde Rodrigues with Inzaghi Z;  second was Imogen Beecroft with Chablis and in third was  Salvador Cattle with Glamour D’as.

The 1.10 class was won by  Khalid Nassar Al Khater with Billy Jean;  second and third places were taken by Eleanor Ljungman with Jamaica EBH and Artful Trinity respectively.

In the CSIYH* the 7yr olds jumped a 1.35m class in the David Broome main arena. This speed class was also designed by Cédric Longis and contained two doubles, one of two uprights and the other, oxer to upright, running down to the last fence over a water tray.  Our winner was Michelle Kenny with Mika, who hasn’t touched a pole in the three weeks she has competed here. Michelle broke her pelvis not long ago and had a rider continue lightly competing with Mika, whilst she healed, when her rider broke his leg.  She took over the ride again and despite being on the waiting list for an operation, has excelled with this wonderful mare, who is by Insider, dam sire Lyjanero River Lodge.  The mare hasn’t had many outings but did do the Dublin horse show and is deceptively fast in the arena.  Michelle told us the mare found the class really easy and that they were delighted with her. She has been with them since she was three years old and we look forward to following their career. 

The 6yr old class was also a speed class and was won by Nicholas Connors and Chelone Z by Cicero Z, dam sire Wander van de Mispelaer and owned by Ann Connors. Second was Joseph Trunkfield with Chacoona Blue and third was Carlos Bosch Cebrian with Safira van de Berghoeve.

The 5yr old jumped 1.20m today in a 2PhSp class, from the 35 entries on the top spot once again was Cassandre Malherbe but today it was with Lou van het Eikenhof Z by Luigi d’Eclipse ;  second was James Ingham with Marla and in third was Venia Keränen with Courage.

These are the main results of the last day of the Andalucía October Tour 2024, full results are available on our web page and through the Sunshine Tour mobile app, where you may also see videos of your favourite competitors’ rounds.  We look forward to seeing you all back again in the new year at the Sunshine Tour itself.  We would like to thank all our staff involved in the tour for their hard work and dedication to the event and once again, thank the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport, with co-financing by the European Union and the Provincial Council of Cadiz for the continued and much appreciated sponsorship. The Andalucía October Tour has once again proved to be great success, important both for international and national riders and is a significantly important influence,  both socially and economically in this area of La Janda.  Next year the Fifth Andalucía October Tour will end with a  CSI4* week,  guaranteeing top sport in an event that has now become an important date in the showjumping calendar.