Kevin McNab and Willunga at Houghton Hall
Australia’s Kevin McNab has earned himself a €10,000 bonus as the winner of the inaugural Horse Sport Ireland Eventing Challenge
Horse Sport Ireland allocated a prize fund of €20,000 (€10,000 for Eventing and €10,000 for Show Jumping) as well as an extra €1,000 for the groom of each winner to encourage riders to compete in 1* and 2* International Eventing competitions in Ireland
The Eventing Challenge consisted of eight 2* competitions held at Ireland’s five international events; Tattersalls (CCI2*), Kilguilkey (CIC 2*), Camphire (CCI2* and CIC2*), Millstreet (CCI2* and CIC2*) and Ballindenisk (CCI2* and CIC2*) with points awarded for first to third in each of the eight classes.
Only the rider’s three highest placings would count towards their final score and UK-based Kevin, secured the €10,000 prize with two wins early in the season – the CIC2* at Kilguilkey and the CIC2* at Camphire and a third-place finish in the CCI2* at Tattersalls, giving him a tally of 245 points.
Kevin’s podium finishes at the Kilguilkey CIC2* and the Camphire CIC2* were secured aboard the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Willunga (Olympic Lux X Coevers Diamond Boy) bred by Christopher O’Sullivan. Since 2016, the pair have competed at several national and international events together up as far as 3* level.
Kevin’s other podium finish at Tattersalls CCI2* came from Brookfield Quality, a nine-year-old gelding (OBOS Quality X Cavalier Royale) who was also bred in Ireland by Sean Kelly. Brookfield Quality has competed at 2* level under both Kevin and Emma McNab since 2016
World Equestrian Games Irish team silver medallist, Cathal Daniels finished as runner-up in the Horse Sport Ireland Eventing Challenge with a total score of 195 points.
