DERRY’S David Simpson had a good show at St Tropez-Gassin in France last week, when he secured a number of top-10 placings including a couple of podium finishes.

The best of these was a third place in the five-star Big Tour 1.50m jump-off class, when he rode Ovidius vd Donkhoeve to a double clear round in 37.95 seconds. Julien Epaillard (FRA) on Donatello d’Auge took the win in 35.18, with Italy’s Giacomo Casadei in second on Raffinesse in 35.91.

The Longines League of Nations fixture took place at St Tropez-Gassin in France for the first time last week.

Thursday’s five-star Small Tour 1.45m two-phase class saw Simpson ride the 11-year-old stallion Ovidius vd Donkhoeve into fourth place after jumping double clear in a phase two time of 28.71. The class was won by Luxembourg’s Victor Bettendorf on Encore Toi du Linon in a time of 25.34.

Simpson then took the runner-up spot in the one-star young horse seven and eight-year-old 1.40/1.45m class on board Billy Whiskey. The pair’s time of 60.76 was just off the pace of French winner Alexa Ferrer on Hastoria Bo Regard (60.42).

Friday saw Sean Monaghan get off the mark with a fourth place in the five-star Small Tour 1.50m speed class with the 13-year-old stallion Toyger, stopping the clock in 68.67. French rider Olivier Perreau won the class with Himalaya du Temple in 66.47.

There was another top-10 finish for Simpson in Saturday’s one-star Young Horse seven and eight-year-old 1.45/1.50m Grand Prix, when he placed ninth with Billy Whiskey.

League of Nations

Sunday saw the Longines League of Nations team competition being held, with 10 nations taking part. Team manager Michael Blake had selected his team as Michael Pender with HHS Los Angeles (ISH), Jason Foley with Cute Face, Sean Monaghan with Toyger and David Simpson with Pjotr van de Kruishoeve and they were drawn ninth of the 10 teams to jump.

Pender was first to go with the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare HHS Los Angeles (Le Roi x China Cavalier (ISH) by Cavalier Royale), bred by Marion Hughes, and they made a great start for Ireland with a perfect clear round. Foley and Cute Face were next to go and finished on eight faults, as did Monaghan riding Toyger and Simpson on board Pjotr van de Kruishoeve, putting Ireland on a score of 16 at the end of round one.

This meant they did not make it through to the second round and finished in 10th place. Britain took the win on a final score of 15, followed by Italy on 16 in second and Belgium on 17 in third.

At the conclusion of the four qualifying legs, Ireland are safely through to next week’s LLN Final in Barcelona. Michael Blake calls upon Bertram Allen, Trevor Breen, Neal Fearon, Michael Pender and Billy Twomey as his squad.