O’Shea, who competes for Ireland internationally, and Primo de Revel were the second pair to qualify for the jump-off following the first round of competition, tackling the course set by Richard Jeffery (GBR) with ease. O’Shea has maintained the ride on the 2001 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Quinault x Orfa van de Elshoeve) for nearly nine years and has built a solid relationship with the talented gelding owned by Michael Hayden.
Particularly impressed with the course design by Jeffery this week, O’Shea felt the track was a great test for the pair and Primo de Revel handled the first grand prix of the ESP Spring Series with confidence.
“I thought it was a lovely course today. I thought that in the other classes this week, Richard [Jeffery] built some great courses,” said O’Shea. “On Saturday, in the 1.35m class, there was a triple combination and the course really rode like a grand prix, except at a smaller height and I thought it was very educational for the horses and great for the riders to keep us thinking.”
“There was a lot of fast riders after me and my idea was to just be as neat as I could in the lines. He’s naturally quick, but I didn’t try to do anything special. I think we all did the same numbers but it came down to who could be the most efficient,” noted O’Shea.
“He’s going to jump ESP Spring III here and then I’m going to take him to Devon in May. He won the class there two years ago and that’s a big thing for us. I’d like to do Lake Placid and we’ve won there a few times too,” commented O’Shea when discussing the pair’s future plans this year.