Paul O'Shea wins Wellington CSIO welcome stakes

Paul O'Shea and Daydream St
Ghyvan Z. By sportfot.com

Irishman Paul O'Shea took the opening international class of CSIO International Week at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Riding Harry Gill's Daydream St Ghyvan Z, he claimed the welcome stakes (3 March 2011).

The class had 64 entries and they competed over a course designed by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, Florida. There were 16 clear rounds and the speed ratcheted up as the class continued. Going 44th in the order, Paul and Daydream St Ghyvan Z cleared the course in a time of 52.51 seconds for the win. Their winning pace was almost four seconds faster than the second place finishers Ian Millar, of Canada, and Dryden. Home ride Richard Spooner and C&aS Partnership LLC's Lady Like were third.

Paul knew that he would have to put in a very fast trip to beat the strong field.

"I saw somebody go at the start and then I heard Richard Spooner's time and compared them," he explained. "I realised he had gone quite quick. I decided to go quite fast after that."

Daydream St. Ghyvan Z, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Darco x Ramiro Z, is competitive in the speed classes and it's her handiness that helps bring home the ribbons.

"Mainly in the turns is where she is brilliant," said Paul. "She's the most clever horse I've ever ridden. To turn back, she's got a mind of her own. All you have to do is point her and she figures it out. She's quick in a straight line as well, but definitely in her turns back she gets ahead there. This course suited her."

Paul and his grey mare won the speed Derby in week 1 of the WEF and then took time off until last week, where they placed second in a 1.40m class.

"Harry Gill is her new owner," said Paul. "It was nice that he could be here and she could win her first class with Harry as the owner. Hopefully it's the first of many."

Paul will be part of the Irish team in Friday (4 March 2011) night's $75,000 FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm. He will compete with Realman. It will be his 10th Nations Cup appearance and he feels that it is an important part of his riding career.

"Nations Cups are very special to Irish people," he said. " It's a big deal for us and it's what we all aim for. We like to ride for our country and it's a big honour."

Kevin Babington aand Mark Q.
By sportfot.com

Second Irish win
Earlier in the day, fellow Irishman Kevin Babington rode his own horse Mark Q to the win in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m.

Kevin and Mark Q set a winning time of 60.44 seconds. Second place went to Britain's Nick Skelton and Big Star, owned by Beverly and Gary Widdowson. Kate Levy and Starlight were third.