Shane Breen wins the Zinc Management Speed Horse of the Year
Sunday 09 October 2016
Ireland's Shane Breen and Acoustik Solo du Baloubet hit top gear to be crowned Zinc Management Speed Horse of the Year in Birmingham. Sussex-based Shane and the 10-year-old gelding thrilled their audience on the Horse of the Year Show's final day at the NEC, winning in a time of 44.69 seconds to land the £3,300 top prize.
Shane's Ireland Nations Cup colleague Billy Twomey was second aboard Ardcolum Duke, while Britain's Guy Williams finished third with Casper de Muze.
Guy, chasing his third 2016 Horse of the Year Show victory, was quicker than the eventual winners, but one fence down meant two penalties added, dropping him to third just in front of Nicole Pavitt and Areeb O.L.
"I watched Billy go, which I thought was the marker, and yesterday in the accumulator I was a fraction slower than Billy, so I knew our horses are about the same speed," Shane said.
"He had one extra stride to the double, so I thought if I could go one less stride there I could get a smidgen up. I just did enough to put some pressure on Guy, and it worked.
"My first show with the horse was at Bolesworth last year. He has kind of been the bridesmaid all the time, finishing second a number of times, but he won a grand prix qualifier at Sopot in Poland, so is very consistent.
"The good thing about him is you don't have to ride fast to be fast. You can turn him on a sixpence, and he can jump out of anywhere. I think one stride is enough for him!
"He is a perfect speed horse, but he has jumped four star grands prix clear and jumped a World Cup class and the Hickstead Derby, so he is very versatile.
"It's always great to win at the Horse of the Year Show. There is a great atmosphere here, and I always enjoy it."
AUDIO WITH SHANE BREEN, WINNER OF THE ZINC MANAGEMENT SPEED HORSE OF THE YEAR AT THE HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW IN BIRMINGHAM:
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access2/index.php?a=YSBiYWxkb2NrIHBh&b=26193
Image credit ES Photography
