A NUMBER of Irish riders attended the four-star show at Maastricht in The Netherlands last week, where they claimed a number of top 10 placings.

Denis Lynch and Chicago finished in the top 10 in Friday’s four-star 1.40m class, where they placed ninth of the 37 starters, when clear in 59.62 seconds. First place went to Leopold Van Asten on VDL Groep Urane de Talma, who jumped clear in 52.57.

Lynch went on to take sixth place with the nine-year-old King Blue in the four-star 1.45m class, jumping clear in 63.66. First place went to a deserving Mel Thijssen (NED) on Florida Balia NI, who flew round the course in 55.70.

The four-star 1.50m class saw Shane Breen and Cato Boy finish in 10th place in a class of 44. The pair were just denied a place in the jump-off after incurring a time-penalty in the first round.

Double clear

Saturday’s one-star 1.25m Small Tour final saw Ireland’s Liam Deery ride Larossa into third place when double clear in a jump-off time of 32.56.

Lynch and Chicago scored another sixth place finish in the four-star 1.45m class, jumping clear in 64.22. The win went to Belgium’s Thibault Philippaerts on Obama de La Liniere in a time of 59.13.

Breen was back in the placings in Sunday’s four-star 1.40m class when riding Just Special into fifth place in a time of 54.99. Winner, Norway’s Jenny Krogsaeter on Klaartje C stopped the clock in 48.97.

In the day’s one-star 1.35m class, Deery secured another podium place, when third again, this time on Kesmitt Dmh with a double clear in 36.96, about a second and a half behind the winner Mart Ijland (NED) on Quo Vadis (35.47).