IRISH pony riders once again put on a fantastic performance at a European show to end up on the podium in every class at the five-star Stuttgart German Masters.

European team gold and individual silver medallist Kate Derwin got off to a good start in Friday’s 1.25m warm up competition when posting the quickest clear round in 46.99 seconds with her European mount Cul Ban Mistress (Silver Shadow x Dunloughan Lad).

The nine-year-old Connemara mare, who is owned by Clive Swindell, beat Seamus Hughes Kennedy and Cuffesgrange Cavalidam into second place (0/48.20), while Portugal’s Molly Hughes Bravo, daughter of international Irish show jumper Marion Hughes, slotted into third place in a time of 48.30 seconds with the Irish Sport Horse Carrickaduff Pet.

Ireland also filled fourth when Charlotte Houston guided Lea du Genier to a clear in 48.56.

PONY TROPHY

Abbie Sweetnam moved to the top of the leader board in the FEI Ponies Jumping Trophy when finishing on the podium in third place.

The new series, set up with the goal of promoting jumping as a sport of youth, takes place at the some of the best show in the world, allowing the pony riders to compete alongside the top riders.

Some 20 riders lined out for Saturday’s 1.35m Grand Prix class and eight of those made it through the jump-off, including three Irish riders.

Sweetnam gave the time a very good try with her father Barra’s consistent Dynamite Spartacus, but a double clear in 31.57 was only good enough for third place on this occasion.

The Portuguese national anthem rang out as Hughes Bravo posted the quickest time of 29.51 seconds with Carrickaduff Pet.

Britain’s Nicole Lockhead Anderson finished second in 31.03.

Stuttgart was the penultimate leg of the series, which comes to a close just after Christmas at the five-star show in Mechelen, Belgium.

After winning the legs in Verona and Lyon, Sweetnam now sits top of the table with 44 points, two ahead of Molly Hughes Bravo (42), and Hughes Kennedy completes an all-Irish top-three on 35 points.