IRISH riders gave a good account of themselves at week two of the 2026 Toscana Tour, which saw 17 riders representing Ireland at Arezzo Equestrian Centre in Italy last week.

The best results were recorded by Derry’s David Simpson and Meath’s Alexander Butler, who each finished as runners-up in their respective Gold Tour classes.

The Gold Tour 1.45m two-phase on Thursday, with a massive 114 starters, required a split, with three Irish riders in the top five of their division of 57. Simpson rode the 11-year-old Pjotr van de Kruishoeve into first place (26.77), with Jack Ryan on Calgrafi DWB in second (27.29) and Denis Lynch on Brooklyn Heights in fifth (28.77). These placings put them in second, fourth and 10th respectively in the overall class standings, with Nicolas Sers (FRA) on Eleven de Riverland taking the overall win in 25.90.

Then, in Friday’s Gold Tour 1.50m jump-off class, which saw 100 combinations go to post, Butler rode the 10-year-old mare Tequila des Sequoias Z into the runner-up position in a jump-off time of 39.77, not far behind the winner, Christian Ahlmann (GER) on the nine-year-old stallion Applebridge Tag Z, who finished in 39.35.

Placings

Lt Michaeli Byrne and MHS Sapphire were among the joint winners of the five-year-old 1.15m class on Tuesday, while Simpson rode Ocean into fourth place in the seven-year-old 1.30m two-phase special class.

Simpson and Ocean repeated this placing in Wednesday’s seven-year-old 1.35m jump-off class, where Butler rode Nelson de la Chapelle into second place, only beaten by Mart Ijland (NED) on O’Neill, who won the class.

Thursday’s Silver Tour 1.40m two-phase class saw a large start list of 116, which required a divide. Shane Breen and Be Alcantara placed sixth in their division from a start list of 58, 32 of whom had jumped clear in the first round for the chance to jump again. Breen was among 24 double clears in the class, which was won by Brazil’s Luiz Felipe Neto de Azevedo on Granit de le Mure.

The 117-strong Gold Tour 1.40m class also required a divide, with Niall Talbot on FTS Elliot placing eighth of the 59 participants in his section. Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano on Diarouge Blue PS won the division, as well as the overall class.

Meanwhile, the Gold Tour 1.40m two-phase class saw Lynch and Shogun STS finish eighth of 62 starters, best of whom was Kim Vukadin (CRO) on Chicolina 10. Lynch then placed fourth in the 97-strong Silver Tour 1.30m class riding Mr Newman, with Germany’s Benjamin Fischer on Nike Kikki winning the class.

A delighted Alexander Butler, picture after being placed in a speed class in Rome, had a good show at Arezzo \ Tony Parkes

Runner-up

On Friday, the Silver Tour 1.40m class attracted a total of 118 participants, who were split into two classes of 59. Lynch and Katja won their division when clear in 57.59, which put them in second overall, behind Dayro Arroyave (COL) on Tundra d’Amas Z, who won the other division and the overall class in 57.39.

A huge 156 participants were divided in two for the Silver Tour 1.35m class, with Lynch and Mr Newman placing fourth in their division, followed by Talbot on Helios CH in seventh. This put Lynch and his mount in seventh in the overall placings.

The Bronze Tour 1.10m two-phase class saw Alexandra Butler riding Kingston King into eighth place from 37 starters.

On Saturday, Simpson and Pjotr van de Kruishoeve finished 10th in the 90-strong Gold Tour 1.45m class, while Lynch and Mr Newman finished on the podium in third in the Silver Tour 1.40m two-phase special class from 97 participants.

There was a Butler one-two in the Bronze Tour 1.10m class, when Alexandra rode Kingston King into first place of the 19 starters, followed by Charlotte on Esprit de l’Esprit Z in second.

On Sunday, Lynch and Katja were eighth in the 78-strong Silver Tour 1.45m jump-off class and the rider then took another eighth place, this time with Cornet Gold in their 58-starter division of the Silver Tour 1.35m class.

Alexandra Butler and Kingston King were runners-up in the Bronze Tour 1.15m two-phase special, which had 31 participants, while Simpson placed joint eighth in the 65-strong Bronze Tour Final 1.30m jump-off on board Foudre F.