Thermal, CA – January 16, 2024 – After more than a decade of winters spent competing in Florida, this year marks Lorcan Gallagher’s first full season at the Desert International Horse Park, and on Thursday, January 16, he showed that he is in Thermal, CA, to be a serious contender. Aboard his longtime partner, Hunters Conlypso II, Gallagher rode away with the win in the $30,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic.
Gallagher and Hunters Conlypso II were the 20th of 35 entries to take on Thursday’s Colm Quinn-designed speed track, and they laid down a time to beat of 61.989 seconds that would prove uncatchable by the remainder of the field.
Finishing in second place was Michelle Parker, who held the lead for much of the class with a time of 62.326 seconds aboard Vivalunaika Blue, owned by Cross Creek Farms, Inc. Third place with a time of 62.689 seconds went to Rachel Long and her own HH Diamant Blue.
“It was a great course,” said Gallagher. “Colm Quinn is a very good course designer. It’s nice that he’s getting these shows now, because he’s going to be one that, I think in the next few years, gets a lot of publicity and the bigger shows. I knew my plan, and I stuck to the plan. There were a lot of long lines with angles that I could shave off a little bit in the turn. I trust my horse inside and out, so I knew that if I stuck to my plan, I’d be there or thereabouts.”
Gallagher’s trust in Hunters Conlypso II, owned by Dacantos Group, comes largely thanks to his eight-year partnership with the Hanoverian gelding. In that time, Gallagher has ridden “Hunter” to strong results in five-star grand prix classes, double clear efforts in Nations Cup competition and an impressive list of wins.
“He’s 17 now, so I’m trying to look after him the best that I can,” said Gallagher who plans to jump Hunter in Saturday night’s $75,000 Go Rentals Grand Prix before giving the gelding a few weeks off from jumping. “Every time he goes in the ring, he’s normally clear. He’s reliable and a lot of fun to ride. We have a great partnership. He looks difficult, but you just follow him. He switches his leads, but I try to just ignore it. At this stage, after all this time, we know each other inside and out.”
Along with competing Hunters Conlypso II and a few of his own additional horses, Gallagher will be spending the winter at DIHP riding and working with fellow Irish rider Mark Kinsella.
“I moved to America in December 2011, and until now, I’ve been always in Florida [for the winter],” said Gallagher. “I got a nice opportunity with MK Equestrian to help them out this year and bring my own horses along and ride mine and help Mark with the training there…We’re off to a great start!”
For full results of the $30,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic, held as part of Desert Circuit 2, presented by Go Rentals, click here.
