THE Irish were certainly in good form at the four-star show at Arezzo in Italy over the weekend, with wins being recorded by Waterford’s Commandant Geoff Curran and Tipperary’s Denis Lynch.
On Friday, Curran rode the Minister for Defence and Jessica Stallard’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare DHF Alliance (ARD VDL Douglas x Rosie Bee by Lux Z), bred by Paul Douglas in Co Tyrone, to win the Gold Tour 1.40m two-phase class from a start list of 97. An impressive 53 combinations jumped clear in the first phase, with 49 of them returning to jump again and 37 registering double clear rounds. Curran’s second phase time of 24.93 was more than a second ahead of runner-up Giulia Martinengo Marquet (ITA) on Habibi V’Gas, who finished in 25.97. The podium was completed by another Italian rider, Roberto Turchetto on Kuriosity de Vy Z (26.05).
There was another win for Curran and DHF Alliance in the Gold Tour 1.45m speed class on Saturday. From the 68 starters, there were 39 clear rounds, with Curran’s time of 59.65 proving the fastest. Runner-up Mart Ijland (NED) on Phenix van de Noordheuvel finished almost a second behind in 60.54, with Christian Ahlmann (GER) on Diamantino in third (61.75).
Meanwhile, Lynch rode Shogun STS to win Thursday’s Gold Tour 1.40m two-phase class from a start list of 53, just nine of whom had jumped clear in the first phase to proceed to the second, with five completing double clear rounds. Lynch’s time of 25.68 in phase two was definitive, with his nearest challenger Mikka Roth (GER) on Rossmount Flamenco B (ISH) finishing almost five seconds behind in 30.50.
Lynch and the 13-year-old stallion Mr Newman then won Sunday’s Silver Tour 1.45m jump-off class, finishing best of the 67 starters. Just nine combinations finished the first round without fault to book a place in the jump-off, where only four of them remained fault-free. Lynch’s time of 34.61 was the best of these, with German riders Christian Ahlmann (Applebridge Tag Z), Marie Ligges (Ruby Go L) and Gerrit Nieberg (Don Plus) finishing second, third and fourth respectively.
In the ribbons
Week three of the 2026 Toscana Tour at Arezzo was scheduled to run from March 30th until April 5th. Young horse classes commenced on Tuesday, but Wednesday’s classes were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.
There was a great turnout of 104 for the Silver Tour 1.40m two-phase class on Thursday, which required a split. Lt Michaeli Byrne and the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Dunboyne placed eighth in their division, with a double clear round in a phase two time of 32.36 - this put them outside the overall top 10, with the class being won by Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) on Chacammo Z in 28.25.
The Gold Tour 1.45m two-phase class also required a split, with Jack Ryan on Calgrafi DWB winning their division in a time of 24.61. Denis Lynch rode Katja into second place in the second divide, stopping the clock in 24.63, behind Maximilian Weishaupt (GER) on DSP Omerta Incipit, whose time of 23.84 could not be beaten. This meant that Weishaupt won the class, followed by Ryan in second and Lynch in third place.
Byrne rode MHS Sapphire into joint fifth place in the day’s five-year-old 1.15m class, while David Simpson and Ocean placed sixth in the seven-year-old 1.35m class.
Brian Morrison on Cavallero placed fifth in the 53-strong Silver Tour 1.30m two-phase class on Friday, while Alexandra Butler rode Kingston King (ISH) into fourth place in the Bronze Tour 1.15m two-phase class, followed by Lauren McDonald on Cornascriebe Last Lady (ISH) in eighth.
Butler and Kingston King placed 10th in Saturday’s Bronze Tour 1.15m speed class.
Lynch and Brooklyn Heights finished sixth in the Gold Tour 1.55m Grand Prix on Sunday. Only five of the 50 starters jumped clear in the first round, with Lynch the fastest of the four-faulters. Joseph Stockdale (GBR) won the class riding the 15-year-old mare Cacharel to a double clear round in 43.57.