REPRESENTING sponsor Siobhan English, this writer presented Sam Watson with the Karen Rodgers Memorial Trophy for his third placing in the CCI3*-S with Ballybolger Talisman. The Co Carlow horseman also won it in 2017 as the highest-placed Irish rider in what was then called the CIC** on Tullabeg Flamenco.

The trophy has been presented at Ballindenisk since 2009, a year after the tragic death of Karen who was killed while competing at the venue over the Easter holidays in 2008. Previous winners include Michael Ryan (2009), Jayne Doherty (2010), Fraser Duffy (2011), Katie O’Sullivan (2012), Camilla Speirs (2013), Elizabeth Power (2014), Harold Megahey (2015), Brian Morrison (2016) and Cathal Daniels (2018).