HK Horses, the team behind the Defender Puissance winner Rachel Proudley, will donate €5,000 of their winnings to Temple Street Children’s Hospital. Rachel announced the donation after her win on Saturday and the RDS later said it would match the donation, making it €10,000 going to the important children’s charity.

HK Horses is owned and run by Irish show jumper Richard Howley and his wife Morgan Kent. The pair are based in Wetherby, England, and Proudley, who was recently crowned young rider European champion on the Irish-bred Quality Street, rides for the stable.

Speaking to The Irish Field this week, Abi from HK Horses said: “They saw it really as something important especially as they’re based in the UK but Ireland is such an important place for them; they really wanted to find a way to give back after everything the show has given Richard over the years and now it being such an incredible achievement for Rachel. It is just nice to be able to spread some of that positivity and joy off the back of it.”

Was there a reason the team picked Temple Street? “They spoke about keeping this really positive momentum going in the best way possible and this is what was agreed on. Temple Street is just a really good charity that’s very well known by everybody. Richard and Morgan have got a big family in Ireland with lots of kids in the family. That’s something that’s always been really important to them.

“It was roughly discussed beforehand but we didn’t want to jinx it. But it was in the back of Richard’s mind and he was sure she was going to win it!

“The show, very kindly, immediately stepped up and said they would also get behind the donation so it’s been a really positive thing.”