FOR the talented Tyrone show jumper, Niamh McEvoy, Christmas starts the night before, with a few drinks at the pub and a chance to catch up with the family she sees so little of when she’s out on the road.

And what a year she’s had on that road. In March, McEvoy won the four-star Grand Prix on the Andalucía Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera with Olympic GL FVD. She took the Youngster Grand Prix at St Gallen with Irish Sport Horse stallion Boleybawn Alvaro in June and won the six-year-old world title at Lanaken with Easy Peasy Indebus Z in September.

Horse Sense caught up with Niamh to talk about her plans for the festive season and for the competition year ahead.

It’s Christmas morning, are you in your pyjamas or your wellies?

Both! I always go home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We haven’t had as many horses at home in the past few years, but there are still a few there so we usually go down first thing and feed the horses, then we head to Mass and then we all open the presents together afterwards.

At Ballypatrick, we stagger our holidays around the Ballypatrick Auction (December 28 and 29). Obviously the show jumping calendar doesn’t really wait for much! Last year we went straight to Leipzig at the start of the year, so you always kind of have that in the back of your head. We haven’t fully made our plan for next year but hopefully it’ll be something similar.

What does the Ballypatrick team do to let its festive hair down?

We have a really fun Christmas party every year. All the staff usually go to the races in Thurles and there are plenty of bets placed! Then we go to the pub close to the yard. We all have a good time and let our hair down!

When does it really start to feel like Christmas for you?

We travel so much in this job that we don’t really get to see our families often through the year. My mum has a big family, she has seven sisters so we usually all go to the pub together for a few drinks on Christmas Eve. Seeing everyone again is when it really feels like Christmas to me.

If Santa could deliver any horse from history to your stable, who would you ask for and where would you jump?

Oh that’s a good one! There are so many! I’d choose Harry Charles’s LT Holst Freda and I’d love to jump her at Aachen!

Which moment from 2026 would you bottle and keep forever?

I think I’d have to pick two. I jumped my first five-star Nations Cup in Abu Dhabi at the start of the year and went clear with Olympic GL FVD. It was something I’d always dreamed of, but I never thought it would happen. It was a really special moment. The World Championships with Easy Peasy were really special too. He’s such a fast horse and was still very green for what we asked him to do, that was so special too.

When it comes to Christmas dinner are you head chef, chief taster or best kept out of the kitchen?

I think I should definitely stick to my day job. Gordon Ramsay is definitely safe, so for the greater good I definitely stay away from the Christmas kitchen!

Do you keep up your fitness routine over Christmas or give yourself a well-earned break?

A bit of both. I’m quite a regimented person in a lot of ways, but I love being outdoors, so I’m still really active at Christmas. I go on lots of walks and it’s a good way to spend time with family. But I think we probably all eat a bit more than we should at Christmas!

You’ve got three spare seats at Christmas dinner. Who from history or today is coming?

I’m a massive Laura Kraut fan, so she’d sit beside me! I’d love to pick her brains.

I’d invite the late Kobe Bryant because I find his mentality really interesting too. And then Mark Zuckerberg.

Three quite different people! I’d like to pick all their brains!

What’s on your own Christmas wish list this year?

I’m severely lastminute.com and probably the most annoying person to buy for because I always just say, “Surprise me.” It’s usually something horse-related, maybe a piece of tack or riding clothes. Non-horse related, haircare or make-up. Nothing too exciting! And a nice experience with my family would be on my list.

And if Santa could grant you one special wish in the saddle for the coming year?

I want to have a really consistent year at five-star level. I think I have the most special bunch of horses I’ve ever had.

If I could dream of one thing in particular, I want to be on the 2027 Aga Khan team!