IT was a good day for Jessica Burke on Saturday, when the Galway rider steered Good Star du Bary into the runner-up position in the five-star 1.55m Le Saut Hermes two-round class in Paris, which saw the 10 best women and 10 best men qualify from the Prix Hermès Sellier class on Friday. The Irish pair jumped double clear in a time of 48.22 seconds, which was good enough for second place and a prize of €19,685. There was no denying the winner, Belgium’s Pieter Devos on Jarina J, whose time of 45.06 proved too fast for the remainder of the 20-strong field and he pocketed the top prize of €35,815.

The five-star Saut Hermès is an annual show jumping competition held at the Grand Palais in Paris, France and this year ran from March 20th until 22nd.

On Friday, Emily Moloney and Tick A Lu placed sixth in the Under-25 1.40m two-phase special class from a start list of 20, when they were among seven clear rounds.

The day’s five-star 1.50m Prix Hermès Sellier speed class saw Burke and Good Star du Bary finish eighth out of 58 starters, with a clear round in a time of 63.01 seconds. It was a home win for France’s Francois Xavier Boudant on Brazyl du Mezel, who stopped the clock in 60.02. James Connors Smyth came out on top of the Under-25 1.45m jump-off class when double clear with Dia Chapila PS in 34.76. Moloney and Tick A Lu placed fourth in the class (38.29).

Sunday’s Under-25 1.45m team class saw the Irish pair of Moloney on Tick A Lu and Connors Smyth on Dia Chapila PS take fourth place from 10 pairs.