THE inaugural Equestrian.Com Liverpool International Horse Show, treated spectators to a thrilling opening evening of action last Friday, with Ireland’s Peter Smyth scoring a spectacular puissance victory.

The Tyrone native was the only rider to clear the massive red wall at its final height of two metres 16cms (7ft 1’’), with Mary McCarthy’s Irish Sport Horse, Cavalier Rusticana

Smyth and the 10-year-old son of Try-Time who is out of a Cavalier Royale mare, had competed in their first ever puissance at Cavan in November, where they took a share of the winner’s prize.

Smyth only just managed to make it to Liverpool, when his ferry journey - which included a trip bringing hunters to show jumper Keith Shore who whips in to the Cheshire Hunt, was cancelled due to bad weather.

Soaked in champagne on the podium after his win, Smyth was understandably delighted with his Liverpool puissance victory.

“This is a great show and at least the weather died down in time to bring him [Cavalier Rusticana] over. For a big horse (18.1hh) my boy is so supple, agile and light on his feet and I think we had our best jump in the last round,” said Smyth.

In fact, Smyth certainly got the rub of the green in his penultimate jump. The top capping hung by a thread after a rub by Cavalier Rusticana. However his final jump was incredibly impressive, providing the perfect finish to the event.

Tipperary’s Shane Breen dislodged a brick at the final attempt with Gotti Van Paemel to finish as runner-up.

Reflecting on the performance, Smyth said: “It really came together in the last round at the right time. Shane [Breen] and myself had a chat before the last round, and we both wanted to give it a go.

“The horse is a nine-year-old. We’ve had him since he was four. He’s a good horse, and his owner Mary McCarthy was here tonight to watch him.

“He was seventh in the Hickstead Derby last year, which was good, and he has won some good classes in Ireland.”

Irish riders Denis Lynch (Garkus Van Het Indihof), Christopher Megahey (Seapatrick Cruise Cavalier) and Anthony Condon (Hadine Van’t Zorgvlieet) shared third place with Scotland’s James Smith.

Along with his puissance runner-up finish, Hickstead-based Shane Breen enjoyed a productive weekend on Merseyside. He finished sixth to Olympia World Cup winner Emanuelle Gaudiano (Cocoshynsky) in the opening Harthill Stud-sponsored 1.45m jump-off class riding Special K, while Anthony Condon took ninth spot with the Arko III-sired Aristo.

Breen later finished fifth in the Fearns Farm accumulator with the Clinton gelding, Eclips. Victory went to John Whitaker with Echo Of Light, while Billy Twomey and Diaghilev finished seventh.