IRISH riders totally dominated the Puissance competition on yesterday’s (Friday) opening day of the inaugural four-star Liverpool International Horse Show, with Co Tyrone’s Peter Smyth receiving a standing ovation when he claimed the top prize.

Smyth cleared the massive red wall at its final height of 2.16m (7ft 1), with Mary McCarthy'sIrish Sport Horse, Cavalier Rusticana, while Tipperary’s Shane Breen dislodged a brick at the final attempt with Gotti Van Paemel to finish as runner-up.

Three more Irish riders finished in equal third place, Anthony Condon, Denis Lynch and 17-year-old Christopher Megahey with the Irish Sport Horse Seapatrick Cruise Cavalier(ISH), all reached the fourth round.

OPENING CLASS

In the opening international class at Liverpool, Shane Breen finished sixth riding Special K, while Waterford’s Anthony Condon took ninth place with Aristo.Breen also took fifth place in the afternoon Accumulator competition riding Eclips, with Cork’s Billy Twomey finishing seventh aboard Diaghilev.

Co Longford’s Aisling Byrne finished as runner-up in the opening Amateur class of the show, while she also finished second in another Amateur competition, where she was joined on the podium by Ireland’s Lucinda Roche in third.

STUNT RIDER

Held at the City Centre Echo Arena, Liverpool Horse show alsofeatures performances from the Bootleg Beatles, opera singers Bella Voci, theatrical stunt rider Clémence Faivre and the ever popular Shetland Pony Grand National.

Today’s (Saturday) highlights at Liverpool Horse Show include the Amateur Grand Prix, sponsored by Irish Horse Gateway, aHorse Sport Ireland initiative started in 2013to connect the world to the Irish Horse.