Emer Bermingham

THE year 2016 will stick out in Paul Carroll’s mind as he not only took the win in the amateur qualifier on Friday of the show, but went one better when taking the title on the Saturday evening aboard Castleroche La Roche.

Delighted with the win, the AA rider Carroll said: “It was a very competitive final and to be in with a chance you had to just go for it. He is a great horse and I always knew that he had it in him, but it just took a little while to win the title. I would like to thank everyone for their support and in particular Mick Smith that gives me a hand.”

A former Grand Prix mount of John Floody, Castleroche La Roche is a 14 year-old gelding by Padarco out of Penella. The pairing have clocked up a series of good results on the national amateur circuit since coming together in 2013 and they finished sixth in the 2014 championship.

Despite having only a short break between the second qualifier on Saturday morning and the final that evening, amateur riders were full of determination as they took to the main arena to contest the Allianz-sponsored championship.

Four of the riders who featured in the top six in the first qualifier on Friday also featured in the top six of the final line-up

Of the 12 combinations that booked their place in the final, six of those proceeded to the timed round and the six were an equal mix of both A and AA category riders.

The first A rider to go, Niall McGarry, didn’t waste anytime with Clarkes Lux Clever as he negotiated a tight turn back to the new fence 13.

A daring gallop to the last, however, cost him as it fell to the floor and his time of 38.47 seconds put him into third place.

Full of confidence after his third place finish in the qualifier, Daniel O’ Shea (A) and Kinmar Night delivered the first double clear in 41.94, to take the lead.

However this was beaten by Carroll, whose series of tight turns and risky gallop to the fence nine aboard Castleroche La Roche saw him set the unbeatable time of 39.17 and push O’Shea into the runner-up position.

Placed fourth in the qualifier, Laura Flynn (A) and Joe’s Charm were out of luck when incurring four faults at the double, but their time of 41.52 saw them slot into fourth.

Runner-up to Carroll on Friday, Gillian Blanche (A) was hoping to go one better in the final but eight faults with Bellegrove Prima Donna in a time of 35.97 saw her take fifth place.

Grainne McGarry (AA) and Aramis Encore recorded the fastest time of the jump-off when clocking 38.75, but it came at a price as they finished on 12 faults for eventual sixth place.