19-year-old Bertram Allen found himself toasting the other riders with bottled water when the top prizewinners received a glass of champagne at the post-final press conference. He also made press office team Pat and Cheryl Bagnall’s day when he told them his first lesson was at Carrigbeg Stables in Bagenalstown, where Pat’s family are from.

THE star of the press conferences was undoubtedly Edward Gal who missed his vocation as a stand-up comedian. When asked about his ‘senior’ status amongst the freestyle prizewinners, he immediately quipped that he was only the oldest present in the absence of Isabell Werth! Diana Ross was the Las Vegas act he most wanted to see, while Steffen Peters opted for the Britney Spears show “if my wife allows me!”