• Share:

Paul O'Shea and Primo de Revel Top $25,000 ESP Spring 3 Grand Prix

by Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc. | Apr 23, 2013, 10:06 AM

Paul O'Shea and Primo de Revel (Mancini Photos)
Paul O'Shea and Primo de Revel (Mancini Photos)
Wellington, FL
- Equestrian Sport Productions LLC (ESP) concluded its third week of competition for its 2013 spring horse show circuit this week at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. The show featured a full schedule of "AA" hunter and 4-star jumper competition, including a $25,000 Grand Prix, a $10,000 Open Jumper Stake, and a $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Classic.

The highlight class of the week was the $25,000 ESP Spring 3 Grand Prix, where Ireland's Paul O'Shea guided Michael Hayden's Primo de Revel to victory against a 45-horse field. Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL, was the course designer in the International Arena for week three of the spring circuit. Stephens set a challenging track that saw nine horses advance to the jump-off and only three clear rounds over the short course.

O'Shea and Primo de Revel, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Quinault x Lys de Darmen, had the fastest double clear round in 40.047 seconds in the jump-off. Samuel Parot and Ileana Stark's Lagueria finished second in 41.017 seconds. Sophie Simpson and Why Not, owned by Simpson Show Jumping Inc, finished third with their time of 41.974 seconds. Last week's grand prix winners, Todd Minikus and Quality Girl, had the fastest round in the jump-off in 37.199 seconds but had one rail down to finish fourth.

"It was a good class," O'Shea noted. "When I went in for the jump-off there was only one clear, so I didn't have to go really fast. I went quick. I probably could have left out a stride to the last jump, but I waited and as it turned out it was enough today to win."

"In Ireland he won two Grand Prixs," O'Shea said of Primo de Revel. "He is a lovely horse. He is very easy and straight forward. I have had him since he was six years old and he has been a pleasure to ride."

Final Results: $25,000 ESP Spring 3 Grand Prix

1. PRIMO DE REVEL   PAUL O'SHEA  MICHAEL HAYDEN: 0/0/40.047
2. LAGUERIA    SAMUEL PAROT        ILEANA STARK: 0/0/41.017
3. WHY NOT     SOPHIE SIMPSON      SIMPSON SHOW JUMPING INC: 0/0/41.974
4. QUALITY GIRL       TODD MINIKUS         TODD MINIKUS LTD: 0/4/37.199
5. SS BOBBY     CHRIS SORENSEN     BRITTLAND HUGHES: 0/4/39.751
6. BLUE SKY VAN DE OLMENHOEVE    JIMMY TORANO    TURTLE LANE FARM INC: 0/4/48.409
7. S & L ELITE     DARRAGH KERINS     S&L FARMS: 0/8/40.919
8. WILEXO     KATTY KING   CARLOS RIBAS & KATTY KING: 0/20/56.541
9. AIR FORCE ONE    KAMA GODEK            KAMA GODEK: 0/EL
10. TUXEDO    TODD MINIKUS         LEGACY STABLES LLC: 4/73.455                  
11. ROUNDTHORN MADIOS      LAUREN TISBO      TEQUESTRIAN FARMS LLC: 4/73.753                  
12. WAOMI    MEAGAN NUSZ         AMALAYA INVESTMENTS: 4/74.317