SWISS-based Kildare show jumper Talbot secured a win for Ireland at the Autumn Mediterranean Equestrian Tour at Oliva in Spain last week, when he rode Doris de l’Oiseliere into the top spot in Thursday’s 47-strong Gold 1.45m Grand Prix Qualifier. The pair jumped clear in a time of 65.31 seconds to finish ahead of runner-up Alexa Ferrer (FRA) on Arka de La Hart Z (65.94).

Talbot went one better on Sunday, when not only winning the Gold 1.30m class on board FTS Elliot (61.88), but also taking third place with Deep Sea Semilly (62.35). The pair were split by Sweden’s Alexander Zetterman on Cayman in second place (62.25). Michael G Duffy on My Bad W placed ninth in the class (76.22).

Ireland’s Peter Moloney placed fifth in Thursday’s Seven-year-old 1.35m Special Two-phase class riding Ece Emer. The pair jumped double clear with a phase two time of 30.33 seconds, less than two seconds behind the class winner Sweden’s Alexander Zetterman on Hiron d’Elle (28.67).

The Silver 1.25m class saw Talbot on Lingot d’Or de La Petite Hunelle finish in eighth place in a time of 72.61, while the class winner Valery de Menditte (FRA) on Edouar Le Noir stopped the clock in 62.25.

Friday’s Gold 1.45m Grand Prix Qualifier saw Michael G Duffy on Tornado Flip de l’Amitie Z finish in ninth place.

Jessica Burke took a top 10 finish in Saturday’s Gold 1.45m Jump-off class, when placing eighth on board Good Star du Bary, jumping double clear in 42.92 seconds. The win went to Victor Bettendorf (LUX) on Milky Way 111 (38.57).

Moloney placed third in the Gold 1.30m class on Broadstone Primrose (62.54), with the top spot going to Belgium’s Thibault Vermeulen on Fahidi D Elsendam Z (61.73).

Meanwhile, Talbot took another podium finish in the Silver 1.30m class, this time riding H’Ayla Verano into third place with a clear round in 65.89. The win here went to Thomas Whitaker on Unicorn Di June (63.90).

The 1.45m Grand Prix on Sunday saw two Irish riders in the top 10, with Talbot placing fourth on Charming Dream Z (40.10) and Neal Fearon on Derryglen Obsidian finishing seventh (41.07). Great Britain’s Laura Renwick won the class with Enjoy Ck Z (38.29).

Winner

Talbot finished third in the Gold 1.40m Two-phase class on board Doris de l’Oiseliere (29.14), behind the winner Victor Bettendorf (LUX) on Eagle Eye de La Roque (27.74).

Meanwhile, the two-star show at Ornago in Italy ran from Thursday, November 28th until Sunday, December 1st.

Ireland’s Kevin Thornton on the nine-year-old gelding Champions League placed seventh in Thursday’s 1.35m Speed class, when they jumped clear in 58.24 seconds. The class was won by Italy’s Manfredini Sofia Elena on Messi And (54.55).