News

Eiken Sato and Espyrante succeed in Grand Prix CSI 3*

Mar 17, 2013

Japan's Eiken Sato and Espyrante jumped to victory in the $82,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* on Saturday night during another exciting evening of international competition for week ten at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF).

Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Germany set the course for Saturday night's Grand Prix with 40 entries competing at night under the lights. Ten riders representing seven different countries qualified for the jump-off and four went double clear over the short course. Seventh to go, Venezuela's Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra, owned by the ZL Group Inc., were the first pair to jump the short course without fault and finished fourth with their time of 48.27 seconds. Up next, Great Britain's Ben Maher and Jane Clark's Urico cleared the course in 44.27 seconds to briefly take the lead. They were pushed into second by Japan's Eiken Sato and Stephex Stables' Espyrante, who stopped the clock in 42.79 seconds for the win. Last to go, Ireland's Shane Sweetnam and Eregast Van't Kiezelhof, owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC, finished clear in 47.61 seconds to take the third place prize.

Final Results: $82,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3*

1. ESPYRANTE: EIKEN SATO (JPN) 0/0/42.79

2. URICO: BEN MAHER (GBR) 0/0/44.27

3. EREGAST VAN'T KIEZELHOF: SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL) 0/0/47.61

4. ZARA LEANDRA: PABLO BARRIOS (VEN) 0/0/48.27

5. TUXEDO: TODD MINIKUS (USA) 0/4/46.81

6. KING KOLIBRI: LAUREN TISBO (USA) 0/4/48.10

7. AD BABOUCHE: ATHINA ONASSIS DE MIRANDA (GRE) 0/4/54.02

8. QUINTANA ROO 2: JOHANNES EHNING (GER) 0/4/54.64

9. TEIRRA: ALISE OKEN (USA) 0/8/46.03

10. USER ID: Darragh Kenny (IRL) 0/12/48.12

Source Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.