February 15, 2025 – Ocala, FL – Four-time OIympian and individual bronze medalist Cian O’Connor of Ireland added another feather to his cap on Saturday, February 15, 2025, when he and Bentley de Sury, owned by Karlswood Partners, won the $300,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Ocala at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC). The class was the highlight of the CSI5*-W week and the final qualifier in the North American League for the 2025 FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final, which will be held in Basel, Switzerland, in April.
O’Connor led a veritable wave of Irish riders in the jump-off; they occupied five of the seven to attempt the short course. There were 33 entries in the opening round competing over a course designed by Bernardo Costa Cabral of Portugal, who set a beautiful and demanding track of 14 numbered obstacles with 17 jumping efforts.
“I was very happy with the decisions we made, that the team made with the heights, material and time allowed,” said Costa Cabral. “Everything went our way tonight, so it was good. I was very happy with what we chose tonight. It looked beautiful on the screen, and these riders made it happen.”
Returning first in the jump-off, Alise Oken (USA) and Gelvera, a 14-year-old KWPN mare (Quality Time TN x Numero Uno) owned by Hi Hopes Farm LLC, set the early time to beat with a clear round in 40.08 seconds. They would finish in sixth place. However, the valuable points leave them in the fourth-place spot in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League East Coast standings.
Immediately following, that leading time fell to 36.81 seconds when Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and James Kann Cruz thundered around the course. However, Sweetnam felt he may have left the door open due to his turn from the second to third jumps.
“I knew that feeling that I didn’t have enough done,” he acknowledged, “but he jumped great. I can always be a little bit better, but he did his part.”
The pair has two major grand prix victories in their three-year partnership, including the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Lexington in 2023 and the American Gold Cup CSI5* in 2024, plus they represented Ireland at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
“It’s never easy at this level, but he’s a forward, fast horse,” said Sweetnam of the nearly 17.2-hand, 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Kannan x Cruising owned by Gizmo Partners LLC. “If you have him in the right place and stay out of his way, he’ll do it, as he’s proven over a few years now. I’m delighted the shape he’s in and the frame of mind he’s in.”
Nina Mallevaey (FRA), who has had a fantastic week with her second horse My Clementine, capped off her week with a top-five finish on Nikka vd Bisschop, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Emerol NOP x Nabab de Reve) owned by Rein Family LLC and Tara Dow-Rein. They were clear in 38.48 seconds.
Nineteen-year-old Tom Wachman (IRL) and Tabasco de Toxandria Z put in a solid effort with a great rollback turn to the second-to-last jump, but were just off the podium pace in 37.10 seconds for fourth place. Wachman, who turns 20 years old on Monday, rode the 10-year-old Zangersheide stallion by Thunder vd Zuuthoeve x Cento Lano for Coolmore Showjumping.
Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Eddy Blue, a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Chacco-Blue) owned by Carol A. Sollak, rounded out the group in seventh place after they had a rail down out of the double combination for four faults in 38.39 seconds.
O’Connor was next in with Bentley de Sury, and he knew he would have to be fast to catch Sweetnam and stay ahead of countryman Daniel Coyle who would be the final rider in the jump-off. With neat turns and a big, open gallop, O’Connor was able to just edge out Sweetnam for the win in 36.62 seconds.
It was the long gallop from the double combination to the World Cup vertical that had all of the riders asking their horses for trust and effort. O’Connor noted that the line walked in eight strides, but after Sweetnam and Wachman made it in seven strides, he had no choice but to keep going.
“When you’re on stride number three and you’re like, ‘There’s not four left here,’ you’re kind of moving and pushing and hoping and praying at that stage, please pick up,” he quipped. “He left the floor, and then if we’re still standing, we’ll keep going. I think the fence was bulky, and there was a water tray under it, which helped keep the horses away from it. But it really made the class actually, that run.”
Coyle and Incredible would follow with astonishing pace to the first jump, which carried through their jump-off. They went wide in the final turn back to the last two jumps, which may have cost them valuable time. As Incredible stretched over the final oxer, they stopped the timers at 36.84 seconds, which would land in third place.
“The seven strides was really, really long to the third last fence,” said Coyle. “He put a big effort in there, and he had a hard turn to the second last fence. The plan was to try and do eight strides to the last fence, but I had emptied the horse and myself, and I thought, ‘I will do something I never do.’ I took an extra stride and said, ‘If I’m fast enough, I’m fast enough,’ and tonight I wasn’t.”
Coyle started riding Incredible, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding by Clinton x Heartbreaker he owns with Ariel Grange, one year ago, starting their partnership with a bang by winning the FEI Jumping World Cup™ Ocala in Live Oak, FL, in 2024. Since then, they have had another nine top-five finishes in five-star competition.
Coyle was disappointed to not win, but put his situation in perspective. “Incredible, obviously, was incredible tonight again. It was just his rider going too slow. But I mean, if anybody’s going to beat me, it might as well be two Irishmen.”
Although they have only been paired together since October 2024, O’Connor knew the 14-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Sunday de Riverland x Calvaro) well as it was previously owned and ridden by his student Anastasia Nielsen. This was their eighth grand prix together.
Bentley de Sury joined O’Connor’s string and immediately stepped up. “I felt that having a horse as experienced like Bentley would be great for me because it would take the pressure off some of the other horses, younger horses that I bought, and allow me time to develop them. And that plan is working out okay!”
O’Connor continued, “I was obviously delighted with Bentley. I’ve only ridden him against the clock a couple of times. When there are so many Irish in the jump-off, I knew they’d go hard, so that kind of motivated me a little bit, I think, to have a proper go. Shane had a brilliant round, and I knew Daniel was coming behind, so I just did what I thought that Bentley could do, and he was very good.”
O’Connor helped the Irish team win the Longines League of Nations™ in 2024 at WEC – Ocala and was excited to return for this week’s five-star event. “It’s the best venue in the world. Simple as that,” he declared.
Mason Jordan, speaking on behalf of the Roberts family and WEC – Ocala, stated, “Hosting this World Cup for the first time was absolutely electric. It was an honor for us to host this prestigious event. I don’t think we could ask for much more for equestrian sport in the U.S.”
While FEI competition at WEC – Ocala has concluded, jumper classes will continue on Sunday, February 16, at 1pm with the $40,000 Hampton Green Farm National Grand Prix. The 2025 Winter Spectacular Show Series continues through March 23, and the Longines League of Nations™ CSIO5* returns to WEC – Ocala on March 18-23.