THIS year is the centenary of the first Aga Khan Nations Cup competition at the Dublin Horse Show, a year, 1926, that saw the newly formed Irish Army show jumping team compete.

The trophy is one of the most sought-after prizes in the world of show jumping, especially by the home team. But what is the story behind the sponsoring of the trophy?

We have to thank the Swiss Army - who at the time were large purchasers of Irish horses - for the initiative of promoting an international show jumping competition later to be known around the equestrian world as the Aga Khan Nations Cup.

In 1925, Col Zeigler and Col Haccius of the Swiss Army, who were in Ireland buying horses, met in the Shelbourne Hotel with the Hon William Evelyn Wylie KC, former President of the RDS and a draftsman and leading authority on show jumping rules, and a noted judge of horses.

Zeigler asked why Ireland were not participating in the Military Nations Cup which included Britain, France, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, USA and Canada as it would be an excellent shop window for the Irish horse. Switzerland were purchasing an estimated 500 to 1,000 horses here annually.

He suggested that an international competition held in Dublin would keep the Irish horse to the forefront. But he was preaching to the converted as Wylie, a master of the Ward Union Staghounds, was totally committed to the Irish-bred horse. The Royal Dublin Society’s mission since its foundation in 1731 was to promote best practice in breeding Irish horses and showcasing the best show horses and jumping horses in the country.

This the RDS had done since their first horse show in 1864 on Leinster Lawns, to hosting the first Dublin Horse Show at their new grounds at Ballsbridge in 1881.

In addition, the RDS had supported the Irish horse industry by introducing mare and stallion premiums as far back as 1888, and breeders’ commissions in 1897, aimed at producing the perfect hunter.

The seed had been sown and Wylie was determined to make it a reality.

His Highness Sir Sultan Mohammed Shah Aga Khan III who donated the Irish Nations Cup \ Noel Mullins

The Aga Khan III and Ireland

The story continues with His Royal Highness Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III (1877-1957), whose affection for Ireland began when his family were tutored in Bombay, India, by Irish teachers, particularly Mr Gallagher and Mr Kenny. It was Kenny who, although not an optician, discovered that His Highness would benefit from reading glasses.

The Aga Khan’s interest in thoroughbred horse breeding began in 1904, but his family were associated with horses since the 6th century in Arabia and his grandfather established a stud farm in India in the 19th century. He went on to acquire stud farms in Ireland, including Gilltown, Sheshoon, Ballymany, Ogar, Sallymount and Williamstown.

There was yet another Irish connection, as Nesbit Waddington, whose family owned Beaulieu House between Drogheda and Baltray, was assistant director of the Aga Khan Stud Farms and Charlie Waddington was a former principal of Mayo College in Ajmra in India, and taught a number of the Aga Khan’s family and continued to tutor family members living in London.

The Aga Khan was living in Switzerland at the time when he met Col Zeigler, who informed him that the RDS was planning to hold an international show jumping competition, and His Highness offered to sponsor the trophy and replace it should it be won by a team on three occasions. This he wanted to do in appreciation of all the pleasures he had at previous horse shows and in gratitude to his Irish tutor.

June 2023: Sgt PJ McCabe with the Aga Khan Nations Cup Trophy \ Noel Mullins

Commissioning the Aga Khan Trophy

Weir & Sons in Grafton Street in Dublin were commissioned to design and craft the trophy known as the Aga Khan Cup. The design is described as “of ovoid form with cover on a square base, chased with scrolls. The lower body chased with leaves, the rim and conforming cover each chased with flowers and scrolls and with two reeded scrolling handles, engraved on one side with the inscription:

‘Royal Dublin Society

HORSE SHOW INTERNATIONAL

TEAM JUMPING COMPETITION NATIONS CUP’.

Presented by HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, THE AGA KHAN.

It’s on conforming mahogany-finish square plinth, each side applied with silver plaques, one side engraving with names of winning countries and dates. The Cup is plated in gold.”

Unique format of Aga Khan Nations Cup day

Edward Bohane, a director of the Royal Dublin Society who had a flair for showmanship and entertainment, was pivotal to making a success of the Dublin Horse Show. He was a superb visionary and marketeer. He created the spectacle that the Dublin Horse Show is today.

The Blue Hussars on horseback, before they changed to motorcycles, were the President of Ireland’s escort, flanking the horsedrawn landau carrying the President into the main arena.

An army band and a flag bearer led each individual international team, who then faced the Presidential Box while each team’s national anthem was played. Some 34,000 cheering spectators filled the arena in 1926.

Ireland’s team finished second to a Swiss team that had two Olympic silver medallists from the 1924 Olympics in Paris on it. Not alone did the Swiss take home the first Aga Khan Trophy presented by President of the Irish Free State, W.T. Cosgrave, a horseman himself who hunted with the Bray Harriers, but they also bought 75 horses at the end of the show!

The lap of honour by the winners, particularly if it is the Irish team, brings the spectators to their feet with the loudest cheer you are likely to hear at the Dublin Horse Show.

The winning Irish Army Team of 1928 included Capt Dan Corry (Finglin), Capt Jed G O'Dwyer (Cuchulain), Capt Cyril B Harty (Craobh Ruadh) and Col Harry Llewellyn (Foxhunter)

Memorable Aga Khan days

The current Aga Khan Trophy is the sixth cup as it has been won outright on five occasions, once by Switzerland in 1930 when it was decided that to win the cup outright, it had to be in three consecutive years.

It was won outright by Ireland twice, including a unique four-in-a-row of wins between 1935 and 1938 by the Irish Army riders Commandant J. G. ‘Ged’ O’Dwyer, Captain Dan Corry, Captain Jack Lewis and Captain Fred Ahern. That cup is in the McKee Army Barracks.

The next Irish team to win the Aga Khan Trophy out right was known affectionally as ‘The Dream Team’. From 1977 to 1979 Captain Con Power, Paul Darragh, James Kernan and Eddie Macken won, and that cup is on display in the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens in Kildare.

The replacement Cup commissioned for the 1980 show was reputed to cost over £60,000. Great Britan won it twice outright as well, first from 1950 to 1954 (no Nations Cup was held in Olympic year 1952) and also from 1973 to 1975.

Lillie Keenan of USA lifts the Aga Khan Trophy after winning the FEI Nations Cup during the 2017 Dublin International Horse Show at the RDS \ Cody Glenn/Sportsfile

Did you know?

  • •Although only won outright five times, the Aga Khan Trophy was been won by Great Britain 25 times, Ireland 24 times, Germany and the USA eight times, Switzerland and Italy five times and once by Argentina, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Mexico.
  • •The USA recorded their first victory in 1948 becoming the first non-European winners.
  • •A time limit was introduced in 1951.
  • •In 1954 ladies were permitted on national teams for the first time.
  • •Diana Conolly Carew was the first lady on a winning Irish Aga Khan military and civilian team in 1963, alongside Captain Billy Ringrose, Tommy Wade and Seamus Hayes, and Diana won the Dublin Grand Prix on Barrymore in 1966.
  • •In 1975, Great Britain declined an invitation to the European Championships in Munich in favour of trying to capture their third Aga Khan Trophy which they did successfully with a very strong team of Harvey Smith, Paddy McMahon, Graham Fletcher and David Broome, ending a 21-year gap for an outright winner.
  • •In 2004, Ireland spoiled France’s chances of winning the Aga Khan Trophy outright by their victory.
  • •Dublin Horse Show is popular with international personalities from royalty to international stars. In 2014 entertainer Bruce Springsteen, who had played the RDS Main Arena with his E-Street Band, was there with his wife Patti as a spectator.
  • •They were there to see their daughter Jessica, a member of the USA team, compete for the Aga Khan Trophy and they had a perfect result as the USA were winners with other team members Charlie Jayne, Katherine Dinan and Elizabeth ‘Beezie’ Madden.
  • •In 2018, Mexico won the Aga Khan Trophy for the first time, and the Main Arena was a sea of colour with the team getting into the spirit of the occasion wearing their sombreros and waving Mexican flags.
  • •The current manager of the Irish team, Jessica Kurten, was on the winning Aga Khan team in 2000 and 2004.
  • •For over 20 years Cian O’Connor has had a remarkable record as anchor man in the Irish team, winning mainly on different horses in 2004, 2012, 2015 and 2022, and runner-up in 2024 and 2025.
  • •Who will win the famous trophy in 2026? I was there in 1955 some 71 years ago for my first Aga Khan to see Italy’s team of Lt Raimondo d’Inzeo, Captain S Oppes and Lt Col L Cartasegne win.

  • This article is taken from The Irish Field’s Dublin Horse Show Magazine 2026. Order your copy HERE