Riding the home-produced 10-year-old gelding, Mr Coolcaum, O’Meara crossed the line almost a second faster than his closest rival in the €2,500 class sponsored by Claremorris Auctions.

“It was a technical course and I would said that in terms of the questions asked, it was right up there with Wexford Equestrian,” said O’Meara. “It wasn’t a big start list, but I knew that the combinations that got through to the jump-off would be very competitive and that it wouldn’t be an easy one to win. The jump-off was always going to be fast, but Mr Coolcaum is well able for this type of pressure and going last gave me the advantage.”

The rider plans to switch Mr Coolcaum to some bigger classes for the remainder of the season.

“If he does take part in any more of the rounds of the tour, it will be towards the end,” he explained. “My other horse, Glenaguile flight, which I bought from my neighbour Dan Ryan, was just very unlucky to have a fence down in the first round, so hopefully she will feature in some of the remaining line-ups.”

Returning from injury, the mare is by Errigal Flight, out of Bellfield Lady, and is a full sister to Cisero, with whom O’Meara won the puissance at Dublin in 2012.

“I produced her myself and it’s good to see her returning to form as I know she has plenty of scope,” he added.

Just five horse-and-rider combinations made it through to jump-off from a startlist of 21 on the Tommy Gibbons-designed course. Gibbons built a technical course, with time keeping pressure on riders, so it was no surprise that eight combinations picked up four faults.

O’Meara had a pole on the floor on Glenaguile Flight in the first round but a quick decision to take the inside line to the last, saw him finish in 72.41 seconds, which later proved good enough for sixth place.

Looking to add valuable points to their spring tour tally were defending champion Daniel Coyle and title contender, Thomas O’Brien.

Daniel Coyle set the standard with Jamelle McCaughey’s eight-year-old mare Touch of Porsch, going clear in 39.32.

Double-handed in the jump-off, O’Brien went first with Sean Mulkern’s Clover Brigade mare, Minnie Clover. Keeping their use of the arena to a minimum, the combination’s clear round in 35.77 saw them take the lead.

All eyes were on resident rider Cormac Hanley riding the 12-year-old gelding Valour. Hanley looked to be on target but four faults at the first part of the double saw his hopes of a win dashed. Nonetheless, his time of 35.82 was fast enough for fourth place overall.

O’Brien returned with Connaught Bloodstock’s Amaretto but four faults at the double and a slower time of 48.42 pushed him down to fifth place.

Last to go with Mr Coolcaum, Liam O’Meara threw caution to wind and finished clear in 34.80, winning the class and demoting O’Brien to the runner-up spot and Coyle to third.

Earlier in the day, the 1.15m class was dominated by the McCabe family, who claimed the first two slots. Kevin McCabe and Carramore Oasis crossed the line in 26.08 to win, while his sister Aoife finished clear in 27.10 for second place with Ms Muffit. Noelle Barry and Fountain Willow slotted into third place, while Lee Carey and Mt Cruise claimed fourth. Cormac Rafferty and KMR Benzini were fifth, while Tim MacDonagh and Beaute Van Herikhave were sixth.

Victory in the 1.25m class also remained in the west, as Richard Kerins and Realteen delivered a clear round in 24.76. Cormac Hanley accounted for second with Valour, clear in 25.23, and third with Captain Caruso, clear in 26.86.

Olive Clarke and Louis D’Or slotted into fourth, ahead of Shane Goggins and Ufo in fifth and Noelle Barry and Norway Venture in sixth.

Speaking after the show, Charles Hanley of Claremorris EC said he was pleased with how it went.

“We were disappointed in the turnout of numbers but it is early in the season,” he said. “We look forward to the show jumping season and this show sets us up for the year ahead as we plan on holding a leg of the Connaught Regional League on May 11th and also to fit in a pony show in June or July.”