Laura Renwick begins the Autumn MET 1 tour with a victory double in Oliva Nova
Monday 05 October 2026
Laura Renwick kickstarted the Autumn MET 1 tour in Oliva Nova, Spain, with a victory double in the 2* Gold 1.45m on the home-bred NFS Top Gun.
Twenty-six competitors came forward over a 12-fence, 14-effort 1.45m speed track with Laura executing the shortest route in the latter half of the class. She secured the win by 0.57 seconds on the Top Dollar x Heartbreaker eight-year-old.
Another home-bred, the 12-year-old Cottee (Asterix E Z x Couleur Rubin), had started the ball rolling with an early win in the 50-strong Silver 1.35m speed with almost four seconds in hand.
“This is Top Gun’s first time out here in Oliva, while Cottee kept up his record of wins at most shows he goes to,” said Laura.
Laura almost made it a double of Gold 1.45m wins 24 hours later, missing out by a little over half a second. A total of 58 riders contended the world ranking 2* 1.45m speed, Laura and the nine-year-old Marseille (Toulon x Otangelo) slipping into second spot 0.58 seconds behind the winner, Sweden’s Malin Bayard-Johnsson on Ccstuds Liisolde.
“It was a tough track with not so many clears. It was a good start to the tour,” said Laura.
Jamie Wingrove gave a good account here on Belvedere to take fourth behind Laura before going on to claim second in the top-billed 2* Grand Prix. Only 11 from the 63 starters returned for the Oliva Nova Grand Prix jump-off, Jamie easing the Billy Congo x Pauldarys Romeo 10-year-old into the runner-up spot 0.87 seconds behind the winner, Ireland’s Niall Talbott aboard Charming Dream Z.
Donald Whitaker led a British top two in the Gold 1.45m Final riding Royal Red Van Het Lindehof. A challenging 13-fence, 16-effort world ranking 1.45m course reduced the 63 starters to only seven for the jump-off. Donald and the nine-year-old stallion Royal Red (Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve x Kannan) striding out to take victory with 1.74 seconds to spare. Sally Goding steered the nine-year-old mare Red Head (Luidam x Corland) into second.
After clocking up several second places in supporting classes, Matt Sampson secured a win on the final day in the Gold 1.40m two-phase on the 10-year-old Genie Du Haut Val, outpacing their 53 rival by 0.13 seconds. In other supporting classes, Phillip Spivey topped a 42-entry Silver 1.30m by 0.28 seconds on the 12-year-old Billy Van Gogh, Isabella Beecroft Luckett won a Bronze 1.30m speed by 0.79 seconds riding the 16-year-old Exception and Lila Bremner finished second in a Bronze 1.40m speed with the nine-year-old Chacco Du Griggio.
Amanda Derbyshire scores a win at Tryon International
Amamda Derbyshire recorded victory at Tryon International in The USA with seasoned campaigner Cornwall.
Fifty-seven competitors contended the $32,000 Welcome Stakes over a 2* 1.45m track, with 13 posting initial clears to gain access to the jump-off. Amanda was the quickest in the competitive jump-off with the fleet-footed 18-year-old Holsteiner, edging ahead by 0.17 seconds. Amanda also jumped double clear on Billy Raindrop for seventh.
Amanda and Cornwall were also contenders in the seven-horse decider of the $70,000 2* Grand Prix, but four faults second time out dropped them from a possible second place to fifth.
Image: 1clicphoto
j1j0xnp325wa.jpg "British Showjumping introduces changes to strengthen welfare of young competitors")
