CAMERON Hanley was the only non-German rider to make the top five in last Sunday’s four-star Grand Prix at Münster, which was won by Marcus Ehning and Pret A Tout.

The Irish rider finished fourth after two superb clear rounds on board Falco Van Spieveld, coming home a second and a half behind the winner in a time of 44.79.

In between came Jens Baackmann on Carmen in second place, fractions behind Ehning, and Felix Hassman in third with Cayenne WZ.

The Mayo-born rider took over the ride on the Toulon-sired 11-year-old at the beginning of this season and won the Grand Prix at the two-star show in Kronenberg in July. He was previously produced and campaigned by Irish-based Deane Rogan.

“I’m just delighted with Falco,” he told The Irish Field. “I always knew he was a very good horse and it feels like he’s getting better all the time. He has been very well produced and he’s an absolute pleasure to ride.”

The fourth place finish sees Hanley move up to third in the DKB Riders Tour ranking after four rounds, with Ehning moving to the top of the leaderboard.

The German-based rider picked up a fifth place finish with the nine-year-old Cas 2 in the 1.45m speed class when posting a clear round in 68.49 seconds.

Germany’s Janne-Friederike Meyer took the top spot with Chuck, blistering home in a time of 65.55.

good placing

Young rider Jack Dodd was also in action at the four-star German show and he picked up a number of good placings, including third in the 1.50m Table A aboard Ballywalters Farm’s Wrangler II, clear in 69.99, behind German rider David Will and Mic Mac Du Tillard (65.09).

Hanley finished in the placings again with Falco Van Spieveld when clear in 72.37 to fill sixth spot.

Dodd achieved another top placing in the 1.55m Münster Masters with a quick clear round aboard High Valley in 59.85 seconds to finish fourth in a class won by Katrin Eckermann (55.42).

The talented Dino W, an eight-year-old entire by Berlin, was ridden to victory in the seven and eight-year-old class at the Dublin Horse Show by Bertram Allen, whom Dodd works for in Germany, and he finished fifth in the young horse final.

As part of the Young Rider Academy, Dodd was trained at the show by Marcus Ehning and described the experience as a “dream come true”.