Tag Archives: Michael Kearins

Larrazabal & Kearins Start 2020 Turf Tour Week 1 Victoriously

Michael Kearins and Sligo Balou Boy.

Wellington, FL (January 13, 2020) – Starting of 2020 on the right hoof: it was a week of firsts on the Wellington Turf Tour. The first official week of competition in the winter equestrian capital welcomed riders to The Ridge’s home farm for .80m-1.40m show jumping, and laid the foundation for marking milestones. From Grand Prix debuts to half a century in horse sport, the Turf Tour’s competitors and staff set the tone for a fantastic New Year.

Gusty winds and sporadic showers interspersed with sunshine, tenets of a fine Irish summer, set the stage for Friday’s $10,000 1.40m Welcome Grand Prix, held on The Ridge’s newly upgraded and expanded 325′ x 285′ grass field. Irishman Michael Kearins was unfazed by the weather, putting in the only double clear effort aboard his own Sligo Balou Boy. Costly rails for Jordan Coyle aboard Dundaik and Stella Manship aboard Colorado put them in second and third. All of the Turf Tours subsequent weekly Grand Prix classes, excluding even higher valued Finale, boast $15,000 in prize money.

Wednesdays on the Turf Tour are headlined by the $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic, a perfect early week warm up for the bigger classes held later in the week. Week one’s Rising Star was won by Venezuela’s Luis F. Larrazabal and San Francisco Stables’ Caristina, jumping off in 39.397 seconds. Second went to Sloan Coles and Pembrey Condors Diamond, owned by Spring Ledge LLC, also double clear with a jump off time of 41.834 seconds. Camille Maddrix and m & m Sporthorses’ Jack Straw rounded off the top 3, finishing the jump off in 42.636.

Both days of competition during Turf Tour Week 1 featured courses by Olympic designer Leopoldo Palacios.

For full results, visit www.HorseShowing.com.

For full schedules and prizelists, visit www.RidgeShowJumping.com.