FOLLOWING an exciting Puissance, amateur riders were last into the arena on Saturday to contest the House & Garden Furnishing Championship. Jumping under the lights, they were put to the test with a speed qualifier that morning and with the puissance running over time, the course walk time for the amateurs was reduced.

Taking the win was last year’s runner-up Daniel O’Shea with the eight-year-old Kinmar Night from Amy Walsh and Keylogues in second (8/52 secs). O’Shea said: “It was great to come and claim this win here in Dublin. Last year I finished second up to stable-mate Paul Carroll and that was a great achievement but this year, to go one better, is the stuff that dreams are made of. Paul and I are based in Moon Lawn Lane Stables.”

O’Shea, a green keeper at Sutton Golf Course, was full of praise for the mare.

“I knew that I could trust her so I just had to keep a calm head. Myself and my twin brother Peter bought the mare three years ago and she couldn’t jump a stick on the ground. With the help of my trainers Michael Smith and Joanne Athley, we brought her up the ranks. I have a lot of help around me and it was a team effort. My family are great supporters, my wife Tara, my brother Peter, my parents Rosanne and David.

“I really want to thank my parents-in-law Michael and Frances Morgan who couldn’t make it to the show as they were at home minding our eight-week-old baby Ciaran.”

He added: “There is huge pressure on riders as this is the most important event on the amateur calendar. The speed class in the morning adds to the pressure as you ride that class a different way and then compose yourself and the horse for a jump-off class. The warm-up arena had a lot going on in terms of people around the ring and it’s a lot for a horse to take in.”

In total, 14 riders took to the course and, of those, seven were A division riders and five were AA division. First to take on the Frank Glynn-designed course were the seven A finalists. The course asked a few questions, which included a double at five, followed by a water tray and then right-handed to a treble combination at eight.

The first clear was delivered by third-to-go Daniel O’Shea and Kinmar Night, and a further two riders in this division booked their place in the jump-off.

The fences were raised for the AA riders and only Barbara Fahey kept the poles in place with Earlspark Dior, but a single time fault, when clocking 80.93, kept her out of the jump-off yet proved enough for fourth place.

First in the jump-off was O’Shea riding Kinmar Night. In a calculated pace and with a good turn to the double matched with a strong gallop to the last, he crossed the line clear in 49.53 to win. Amy Walsh took a stride out to four but, despite taking a more cautious approach, crossed the line right on the time allowed, of 52 seconds, for second. Last to go, the pressure was on Martin Flesk and Killuppaun Magic. They took a tight line to fence three and, despite taking the long route to the double, a run out at the second part and later at fence 10 saw him finish on 28 faults, in a time of 71.33, for third.

Sheikh Samir Mirdad incurred four faults in the first round, with Mirdads Maaa Shaaa Alllah, in a time of 68.14, for fifth, ahead of Antoinette Burns and Castlelawn Splendid who also incurred four faults in the slower time of 72.09 seconds.