ON Saturday evening, 12 combinations lined out to contest the highly anticipated National Amateur Championship in the Simmonscourt Arena. Sadly, the amateurs no longer get their moment to compete in the Main Arena, but that didn’t matter to Co Galway’s Niamh Quinn who claimed victory with Clonguish Vivaro.

Owned by Cian Goggins and bred by Bernard and Josephine Jordan, the 15-year-old gelding is by Vivaldo Van Het Costerveld out of Clonguish Gold (Tanaos). Quinn went in as a hot favourite, having booked her ticket in Galway. She works full-time with horses as a groom for her brother-in-law, Mayo show jumper Shane Goggins and thus also had two other young horses to look after at the show.

Speaking afterwards, Quinn said: “It was a dream come true. Clonguish Vivaro is the best horse ever, a real gentleman. I am so lucky to have the ride on him. I had dreamt of getting to the RDS, but never thought I could win a class there. The nerves can sometimes get the better of me, but by the time I get to the jump-off they are usually gone. He is a big striding horse and the course suited me as he really covers the ground.

“I work grooming for Shane Goggins and I would like to thank Shane and Cian Goggins for allowing me to ride the horse and for all their help. When I was going into the jump-off, they said ‘You have got this far, so you might as well have a cut at it. You have nothing to lose.’”

Following a tough first round, five booked their places against the clock and all were AA category riders. Winner of the opening qualifier in Kernans in May and first to go against the clock, Caroline Gaston put it up to the rest, as she put in a fast round with Miss Roman Kora in 32.17 seconds - but it came at a price as she had one on the ground.

Following the pathfinder round, riders faced a crucial decision; whether to risk the tight lines in pursuit of a faster time or go for a steady clear. That gamble was swiftly put into perspective when champion lady amateur jockey Jody Townend and JT Calover Junior stormed in to produce a flawless round in 35.21 seconds.

No stranger to this pressure having booked her place in the final on past occasions, Caitlin Duffy and Jockeyhall Midas Touch reduced the time to beat to 33.04 seconds, which saw her take the lead and later the reserve title and, as a result, Townend moved down to third. Duffy and Jockeyhall Midas Touch had put in a solid performance on Saturday morning in the second qualifier when claiming third place. Similarly, Jody Townend and JT Calover Junior had finished fourth in the same qualifier.

All eyes were on Laura Walshe and Ballinaguilkey Heritage, who had won the qualifier on Friday, but their hopes of a win were dashed when they had one on the ground in 34.34, which would later see them take fifth place just behind Gaston and Miss Roman Kora in fourth.

Last to go, the pressure was on Niamh Quinn and Clonguish Vivaro and she rose to the challenge to deliver the winning round in a lightning fast time of 31.88.

Placed second in the qualifier on Friday, Holly Morrissey and Ad Fundum D’Eres were denied their place in the jump-off when they incurred a time fault in the first round, but it was enough to take sixth place.