LIVERPOOL International Horse Show’s popular combination of top-class show jumping and family entertainment again drew big crowds to the Echo Arena on Kings Dock and it was sad it was forced into a premature close due to a fire taking hold in the adjacent multi-storey car park.

Irish riders proved in tremendous form and British-based Peter Moloney got Ireland off to a great start courtesy of a brilliant win in the opening Horse & Country competition with Team Harmony’s Calimero Van’t Roth.

Early to go in the single-phase competition, Moloney ‘hatched a plan’ and stuck to it.

“We were quick over the first part of the course which tends to wake Calimero up a bit and after that it was all the direct routes,” said Moloney, whose round over the timed section was as smooth as silk, an acute turn into the second last and angled approach to the final oxer securing the winning time of 27.61.

“He knows his job and he’s a well-schooled and balanced horse to which makes my job easy,” concluded Moloney.

Also producing double clears to finish in the ribbons were Sven Hadley (Sumas Taloubet), Billy Twomey (Ardcolum Duke) and Trevor Breen (Clyde VA).

Egypt’s Sameh El Dahan, who is based with Joanne-Sloan Allen in Ulster, produced a great round to secure victory in the 1.50m Easibed-sponsored Longines world rankings class riding the Ard VDL Douglas mare Suma’s Zorro (ISH).

Drawn second of 15 in the jump-off where just one second separated the top seven combinations, Dahan used his mare’s speed and agility to break the beam in a time of 32.56.

“We have been together for seven years and I know her inside out. It’s difficult being drawn early and tactics came into play, so I kept moving,” said El Dahan, who finished just ahead of Tipperary’s Shane Breen and the 10-year-old stallion Ipswich Van De Wolfsakker (0/0 32.87).

Anthony Condon was next best of the Irish in seventh place with Balzac (0/0 34.97).

BREEN WIN

Hickstead-based Shane Breen proved hard to beat against the clock and it came as no surprise to see him take the top podium place in the 1.45m Gornall Equestrian speed after producing a stunning round with Brian Cassidy’s Irish Sport Horse CSF Vendi Cruz (Ars Vivendi x Cruising)

Bred in Co Galway by Patrick Connolly, the 10-year-old mare was the fastest of the day in 52.96 seconds, ahead of Sameh El Dahan.

“This was a fast class and I knew I had to do something special,” Breen said afterwards. “Everyone was taking strides out on the distances, but I concentrated on turning tighter on the corners.

“Brian (Cassidy) asked me to give this mare a bit more exposure and she’s been knocking on the door for a big win,” he added.

Also placed with clear rounds were Richard Howley (Catuso), Anthony Condon (Zira vh Kapelhof Z), Sven Hadley (Sumas Taloubet) and Trevor Breen (Clyde VA).

Shane Breen narrowly missed a winning double when Ipswich Van De Wolfsakkerin finished second in the 1.50m Horseware Ireland rankings class in a time of 33.79.

The class was won by Amanda Derbyshire riding Gochman Sport Horses’ Luidam-sired Irish Sport Horse nine-year-old Luibanta BH, who was bred in Co Galway by Justin Burke.

Derbyshire is British born, but moved to America eight years ago where and is currently based at Gochman Stables in Wellington, Florida. She is engaged to Irish rider David Blake, son of Michael.

“We were first to go and as Luibanata is a great easy-going mare, we had to put the pressure on with a fast round and I didn’t dare take a pull,” said Derbyshire.

Based in Canada for the majority of the year, Connor Swail placed third with E.A.M. Sporthorses’ Domino Van De Valhoeve (0/0 34.28).

CROWD PLEASING

In a crowd pleasing Equitop Myoplast Puissance, that went the full five rounds, Ireland’s Chris Megahey was one of three riders scaling the heights to share first place when the Irish Sport Horse Seapatrick Cruise Cavalier soared over the 2.2m (7’2”) wall.

Sharing the top podium place was Holly Smith riding her Birmingham and Olympia runner-up Quality Old Joker, an Irish-bred 10-year-old by OBOS Quality, and Louise Saywell riding Billy Twomey’s Douglas nine-year-old Dassler, who was also placed at Birmingham and Olympia

The final international class was won in dramatic circumstances by Sanne Thijssen riding Bacardi.

With just three combinations left to jump in the Voltaire Design speed competition, the class came to a premature close when the fire in the adjoining car park began to take hold and horses from the collecting ring and some of the indoor stables were evacuated into the main jumping arena.

However, the result stood, with Thijssen credited with the win.

It was perhaps a bittersweet victory for the young Dutch rider who had the misfortune to lose her horse Sara Galotiere through an injury the previous evening. The 12-year-old mare was jumping Saturday’s 1.50m when an awkward jump over the penultimate oxer resulted in the horse landing funny and breaking her leg.

Her winning speed round was a joy to watch and it was sad that Thijssen missed out on her moment of glory in Liverpool’s traditional glitzy podium prize giving.

Amateur sections were as competitive as ever at Liverpool.

While British riders dominated the top spot, Jade Meekings (Pauls Lass) and Kerstin Deakin (Sunsolde) gaining a winning double, there were plenty of Irish riders in the chasing packs.

Joanne Sloan-Allen finished third in Friday’s CSI Am-A two-phase class with Fairplay, while Paul Carberry was fifth in Saturday’s renewal with Brandonview First Edition (ISH).

Paul Carrol (Castleroche La Roche), Tori Dunn (Cassana) and Aisling Byrne (Wellview Lucy) placed third, fourth and fifth respectively in Saturday’s CSI Am-B speed class.