![Paul O'Shea wins $25,000 ESP Fall Grand Prix](https://www.equisport.pt/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/paul22.gif)
Paul O'Shea wins $25,000 ESP Fall Grand Prix
Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) hosted its Fall III Horse Show this weekend on October 25-27, 2013, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. The first grand prix of the fall season was held on Sunday afternoon with a win for Ireland's Paul O'Shea riding the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Primo de Revel (Quinault x Lys de Darmen), owned by Michael Hayden.
Skip Bailey of Wellington, FL, set the course for Sunday's grand prix with six out of 29 entries advancing to the jump-off. Four of those jumped double clear over the short course, and Paul O'Shea and Primo de Revel had the fastest time of 33.910 seconds for victory. Sharn Wordley and Ashland Stables' Axel finished second in 34.838 seconds. Michael Dorman finished third and fourth aboard Wyndmont entries IV Ever and Zephyr. IV Ever stopped the clock in 34.924 seconds to place third; Zephyr was fourth in 36.581 seconds.
Paul O'Shea has had Primo de Revel since the horse was six years old and has developed a great partnership with the gelding. Primo de Revel has been on top form this year, winning four grands prix, including the win this weekend. He also topped the $25,000 ESP Spring III Grand Prix in April, won the $75,000 Equine Insurance Services/Great American Great Prix of Lake Placid in June, and took top honors in the $75,000 Equestrian Estates Planning Group Grand Prix at Silver Oak in August.
O'Shea liked the course this weekend for Primo de Revel and noted that although it was not huge, it was difficult. They went third in the jump-off and had to chase a very fast time from Sharn Wordley and Axel.
“I saw Sharn go, so I just aimed to go a little bit faster and was hoping that that would be enough,” O'Shea stated. “There was a long gallop to the last jump and my horse is naturally very well balanced, so I knew that I could just keep going and he jumped it very well. It came off today. We were a little bit faster than Sharn, and it just happened to be enough.”
Primo de Revel will continue to show in Wellington this fall and in the ESP Holiday Show Series, which runs from November 27, 2013, to January 5, 2014.
O'Shea also had a top result with his mount Wizz, who finished seventh with the fastest four-fault round on Sunday. Wizz had top results this summer as well, including a win in the $30,000 Grand Prix of Princeton a few weeks ago. O'Shea was happy with his finish this weekend.
“He is more inexperienced, but he is kind of getting it together now,” O'Shea acknowledged. “I have big hopes for him.”
O'Shea is now in Wellington for the season and looking forward to this winter's FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival as well as the many great events leading up to the winter circuit. He noted that it is great to be able to come to Wellington early and jump in some good grand prix classes with good prize money.
“It is nice to have these classes to keep the horses jumping, and the money is good,” he said. “It's great to get in the main ring too. For Primo de Revel, he has a lot of experience, but Wizz isn't that experienced, so it was good for him to get in the main ring there and jump around. In three weeks there is a night class there, so that will be good experience for him too.”
Final Results: $25,000 ESP Fall III Grand Prix
1. PRIMO DE REVEL PAUL O'SHEA MICHAEL HAYDEN: 0/0/33.910
2. AXEL SHARN WORDLEY ASHLAND STABLES: 0/0/34.838
3. IV EVER MICHAEL DORMAN WYNDMONT: 0/0/34.924
4. ZEPHYR MICHAEL DORMAN WYNDMONT: 0/0/36.581
5. EVENING STAR HEATHER CARISTO WILLIAMS M/M RALPH CARISTO: 0/8/33.322
6. STAR WATCH SAMANTHA SENFT TREASURE COAST STABLES: 0/8/34. 999
7. WIZZ PAUL O'SHEA PAUL O'SHEA: 4/81.212
8. VALINSKI S MICHAEL DORMAN WYNDMONT: 4/81.222
9. COCO SCOTT KEACH SOUTHERN CROSS EQUESTRIAN LLC: 4/83.724
10. ELIOS BRITTNI RAFLOWITZ DARRAGH KERINS & MAARTEN HUYGENS: 6/85.844
11. BUGATTI SHARN WORDLEY ASHLAND STABLES: 8/78.212
12. ADLANTEUR HENRIK GUNDERSEN HENRIK GUNDERSEN: 8/79.877