CONTINENTAL Europe proved happy hunting ground for Irish riders last week, with the Irish Sport Horse Express Trend, owned and bred by Liam Nicholas, bagging a bronze medal position in a four-star 1.50m speed competition in Week 6 of the Andalucía Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera for Galway girl, Jessica Burke, on Thursday.

Then, on Sunday, young Kilkenny talent Seamus Hughes Kennedy steered ESI Rocky (ISH Stakkato Gold x For Pleasure), owned by his mother Clare Hughes and bred by Ennisnag Stud, to second in the four-star 1.55m Range Rover Salamanca Grand Prix at the Spanish venue.

Hughes Kennedy was just a half-second off winner Emiliano Liberati (ITA) and Aruba Island in the jump-off with his time of 43.68 and well-clear of home rider, Carlos Bosch Cebrian and Jolie van der Berghoeve in third.

Earlier in the day, Cork rider Billy Twomey scored in the Medium Tour Grand Prix. Twomey guided Ace Of Hearts Z (ZANG, Action Breaker x Labor’s VDL Indorado) to a double clear in the 1.50m class, the nine-year-old stallion claiming the top spot thanks to a clear in 40.40 seconds in the 11-strong jump-off.

On the Toscana Tour at Arezzo, Italy, Kilkenny pilot, Susan Fitzpatrick finished as runner-up in a three-star two-phase Grand Prix qualifier with Lovely Stassi PS (London x Stakkatol) and the pair backed up that performance by securing fifth in the Grand Prix with a fantastic double clear.