‘I pushed it to the limit'

The 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival concludes with a career-best win for US rider Adam Prudent, while Irish riders prove their competitiveness

- SARAH RADFORD

CSI4* Winter Equestrian Festival Week 12, Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre, Florida, USA

THE Americans fought back during the final week of the festival, with home riders taking two out of three big classes, rounded off with a victory for Adam Prudent (Baloutinue) in the $214,000 (£154,000) Wellington Agricultural Services CSI4* grand Prix.

Five combinations jumped double clears round German course-designer Olaf Petersen Jr’s 1.60m track, with the first three riders all setting a fresh lead.

But Adam’s attacking round on Plain Bay Farm’s 11-year old Hanoverian gelding was insurmountable, remaining 1.26sec in front of Canadian Jim Ifko and Un Diamant Des Forets.

It was a first four-star grand prix victory for this son of Balou Du Rouet, who only stepped up to four- and five-star level this season, having been produced slowly by Adam for the past four years.

“The horse is very careful,” said Adam, 31, who is the son of international riders Katie Monahan-Prudent and Henri Prudent. “I haven’t really had a chance to go fast yet since this is only my third grand Prix jump-off with him.

“I pushed it to the limit this time and really asked him to perform the best he could. I knew I had a lot of fast people behind me so wanted to really lay it down and take every risk I could, and it worked out quite well.”

With the festival concluded, Adam, who previously rode for France, will now give his string of horses at least a month off at his base in Virginia.

SWEETNAM’S PLAN PAYS OFF