IRELAND’S Diarmuid Howley gave a good account of himself at the two-star show at Krajkowo in Poland over the weekend, with a number of top 10 finishes. Howley and Exlusive VA started off by finishing in the top 10 of Friday’s two-star 1.35m Silver Tour two-phase class from a large start list of 89. The pair jumped double clear in a phase two time of 30.32. German winner Michael Kolz on Chacoons Rubin SR stopped the clock in a speedy 26.24, a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Krzysztof Ludwiczak (POL) on Croslove, who took second place in 26.25.

Howley then finished joint ninth in the 79-strong 1.45m Gold Tour Longines Ranking Fast and Furious speed class, this time riding Cabal VA. Howley’s time of 69.57 was exactly the same as Poland’s Wojciech Wojcianiec on Aliean Zin-Galeriani. Kolz secured another win for Germany when riding Cellato into first place in 64.01, with Sameh El Dahan (GBR) placing second with the Irish Sport Horse mare WKD Balou Breeze in 64.11.

It was another top 10 finish for Howley in the Young Horse one-star five and six-year-old 1.15m/1.20m speed class on Friday, this time riding the six-year-old mare Malia VA into 10th place.