With plenty of five-star and four-star action in Europe and the USA today, Irish riders were battling for honours at a variety of venues. Mike Dunne rounds up the results.

Ireland’s Cameron Hanley was the only non-German rider to make the top five in today’s Grand Prix at Munster, which was won by Marcus Ehning and Pret a Tout. The Irish rider finished fourth after two superb clear rounds on board Falco van Spieveld, coming home a second and a half behind the winner. In between came Jens Baackmann on Carmen in second place, fractions behind Ehning, and Felix Hassman in third with Cayenne WZ.

Today’s result sees Hanley move up to third in the DKB Riders Tour rankings after four rounds, with Ehning’s victory moving him to the top.

Dermott Lennon looked to have this afternoon’s Accumulator at Gijon in the bag but was caught at the death by Great Britain’s Robert Smith. Switzerland’s Nadja Peter-Steiner set a stiff early target of 55.37, but Lennon and Vampire bettered it by over one-and-a-half seconds, coming home in 53.74. At that point the contest was only at the half-way stage, but no one following got inside even the Swiss rider’s time let alone Lennon’s, until last to go Robert Smith of Great Britain blew them all away with a stunning time of 53.18.

In the other main class of the day at the Spanish venue Conor Swail was the only Irish rider to post a clear round but had to settle for 10th with his time of 65.52 on Cenzo. Cian O’Connor (Callisto), Dermott Lennon (Loughview Lou-Lou) and Michael Duffy (Belcanto Z) all had four faults, while Billy Twomey had eight with Thomas.
The contest was won by Canada’s Elizabeth Gingras on Coup de Chance in 59.50. Gingras was the only rider to post a double-clear in yesterday’s Nations Cup. Second was Saudi
Arabia’s Abdullah Al Sharbatly with Domingo in 61.25, with Egypt’s Sameh El Dahan taking third on WKD Diva in 62.81. The Grand Prix takes place tomorrow.

Darragh Kenny made the jump-off for the four-star Grand Prix at Zandhoven, but four faults in the decider on Global van T Braunerthof saw him finish 10th in a contest won by Brazilian Marlon Modolo Zanotelli with Cool Hand Luke. Kenny had taken fourth earlier in the two-star Grand Prix on board Chanel.

Both Bertram Allen and Denis Lynch missed out on the jump off for the five-star Grand Prix at St. Moritz, while Shane Breen and Marion Hughes also made first round exits from the four-star Grand Prix at Valance.

There were two Irish riders in the top five of today’s feature 1m40 class on the opening day of the Hampton Classic Horse Show at Bridgehampton, New York. Shane Sweetnam took third on Main Road while Richie Moloney finished fifth with Slieveanorra in the $30,000 Boar’s Head Open Jumper Challenge. The event was won by America’s McLain Ward on Tina La Boheme.