FIVE lucky readers of The Irish Field were thrilled to have breakfast with the Irish Aga Khan squad at the InterContinental Hotel in Dublin on Thursday, ahead of the country’s biggest show jumping competition.

Team manager Michael Blake and squad members Tom Wachman, Seamus Hughes Kennedy, Denis Lynch, Cian O’Connor and Darragh Kenny (reserve), as well as team vet Marcus Swail, joined The Irish Field team, Nicky Logue, general manager of the InterContinental and Anne Pradal of title sponsor Rolex.

While it was the eve of the Aga Khan competition, the riders very generously chatted with competition winners Jessica Fitzgerald, Poppy Sweeney, Sophia O’Sullivan, Graham O’Reilly and Beverley O’Keeffe. Nina Carberry MEP and her family and Liam Kavanagh, RDS CEO, were also among the guests.

Aga Khan debutant Wachman (20), who had his first Dublin Main Arena win in the 128 pony class back in 2016, was cool and collected as he chatted to MC Brendan McArdle about being selected for the team.

“I think it will suit him (Tabasco de Toxandria Z), he’s not spooky at all, he’s jumped in most of the big events around Europe. All you can do is have your homework done and try your best on the day. I’m just lucky I have a very good horse and very good trainer in Cian [O’Connor]. With that system in place, it makes my job a lot easier.”

Cian O’Connor, who was on the cusp of jumping his 19th Aga Khan with four wins among them, said he remembered his first “like it was yesterday”.

“He’s a great horse (Bentley De Sury), he’s 14, I got him last year and started off with him in Spain in winter, and he jumped well there, then he went to Florida and did some bigger classes. He won a five-star Grand Prix in Ocala. He’s on good form, he’s been resting for the last month building up to this and he felt very nice yesterday so hopefully the big atmosphere won’t affect him, he’s very experienced.

“The Main Arena looks different this year (with the Anglesea Stand redevelopment underway) but it doesn’t feel different, it’s actually nice being able to look over to the other rings, it’s looking really well.

“The Aga Khan is special to all the Irish riders. It’s a shop window for me and for Karlswood and, of course, you want to do well and give something back to the next generation coming up.”

Cian O'Connor and Sophia O'Sullivan chat during Breakfast with the Stars at the intercontinental Hotel Dublin \ Claire Nash

Dream debut

Hughes Kennedy (22) said he was looking forward to fulfilling the dream of jumping on an Aga Khan team.

“It’s somehting we’ve always aimed for. The horse (ESI Rocky) was bred at Enisnag Stud just down the road. I remember the first time we loose-schooled him as a three-year-old in 2018, he looked like a lovely horse and when we went through the levels he had a lot of scope, we always knew he had something special. Thankfully we’ve been able to bring him up through the levels ourselves and he’s never found any day too big yet.

“I’ll keep it all as a normal day tomorrow and try and jump my round like it’s any other round.”

Team vet Marcus Swail interjected at this point to say his evidence of Hughes Kennedy’s ability to keep a cool head under pressure was finding him asleep in a deck chair shortly before his second ever Nations Cup in Rotterdam.

“Someone had to wake him to walk the course, so I don’t think he’s too bad with the nerves!”

Denis Lynch said the Aga Khan was like the ‘Champions League’ for show jumpers and it was always an honour to represent your country.

“It’s up there with the Olympics and major championships, it’s what we work for all year,” he said.

“Whether it’s a smaller speed class, you want to do extra well at home because of the home crowd, it’s an incredible feeling.

“Vistogrand is a very experienced horse and has jumped on quite a few winning teams now. He’s a very good pacemaker and he’s very good at that, very reliable.”

Asked who he feared among the opposition, Lynch said he simply looks to his teammates. “This team has a serious chance and I just focus on myself and my horse and what I can control,” he said.

Tom Wachman, Denis Lynch and Breakfast with the stars winner Poppy Sweeney at the Intercontinental Hotel Dublin \ Claire Nash

Keen to bring the Aga Khan Trophy home this year as always was Michael Blake, who said while he respected strong teams, the person he most feared was the course builder.

He also thanked all of the owners involved for making their horses available for team Ireland.

“We are a small country with little funding but these lads have made a name for themselves, these men are not just riders they are business people and the fact that the owners make the horses available, sometimes bypassing major Grand Prix events, is such a testament to the riders and their teams. Without these horses, we wouldn’t be anywhere and the owners have so much pride in jumping for the flag, it’s wonderful.

“We have a team out tomorrow but we could field a team of eight or nine such is the strength we have built and I’m very proud of that and thankful to the owners for that.”