TIPPERARY’s Padraig McCarthy rose from 10th place after Friday’s dressage phase to finish on the individual eventing podium with a silver medal in Monday’s final.

“Unbelievable,” was his response to how he felt after the competition ended. “I’ve dreamt amount nothing else for the last six months! With a horse like this, you have to dream big. It’s been in my mind since the beginning with him.

“It hasn’t sunk in it’s a great day for Team Ireland, it’s a great day for eventing in Ireland, it’s been a long time coming but we are over the moon.”

The show jumper turned event rider scored 27.20 aboard Mr Chunky in Friday’s test and with nothing to add over the following two days of nail-biting action, ended up in second place when others faulted on the final day.

McCarthy took over the ride from his wife Lucy Wiegersma, who was a regular on the British team before she decided to concentrate on her family life.

The combination went into Monday’s final in seventh place and a clear round made sure he put the pressure on those ahead of him. When teammate Sarah Ennis faulted in the combination, he was guaranteed a medal.

That medal colour looked bronze until overnight leader, Germany’s Ingrid Klimke, knocked the final fence.

Britain’s Rosalind Canter rounded out the perfect weekend for the British team when adding the individual gold medal to her team gold.

“Mr Chunky is an exceptionally good horse. I took over the ride from my wife who produced him up to this level and I am very fortunate to be able to bring him to this championship. He will go home and have a rest and we will keep him in work over the winter and aim him at Badminton in the spring, that will be his next big target,” McCarthy said.

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McCarthy left Ireland at the age of 18 to work for Swedish show jumper Rolf-Göran Bengtsson. It was there he worked with Limerick show jumper Paul O’Shea and, on the show jumping team this week, O’Shea was on hand to lend advice to his friend on Monday morning.

Following time in Europe, Ireland and America, McCarthy went back to college and has a degree in Economics and Finance with German. He then went on to get a Ph.D. after doing a study on insolvency legislation in Ireland in Waterford University.

He met Lucy through buying and selling horses and it was she who encouraged him to take up eventing. Unfortunately, Lucy wasn’t in Tryon to witness Padraig’s success as the Devon-based couple welcomed baby Gus to the world just four weeks ago.

“I think we have put a team in place that hopefully we can make this more than just a one off, hopefully we won’t have to wait another 40 years to get another medal. We are all over the moon at the moment, we are going to enjoy tonight,” he added.

Gracious after losing out on an individual medal to finish fifth, Sarah Ennis said: “I am delighted, he (Horseware Stellor Rebound) gave it his all. I knew I had to jump clear to get an individual but couldn’t have wished it for a nicer person, at least it’s coming home to Ireland with Padraig.”

Australia’s Andrew Hoy placed fourth with Vassily de Lassos, finishing on his dressage score of 29.80.