It was an incredible result for Eristov, the 17-year-old grey gelding who has achieved so much success throughout the world, as the event was his final career class before retirement.

Easy Boy De Laubry Z and Proudley won the Puissance last year and were popular competitors as the British rider wore a Mayo jersey during most of the competition.

Round One

Nine combinations entered the Defender Puissance – seven from Ireland along with The Netherlands’ Zoi Snels and the defending champion, Rachel Proudley with Easy Boy De Laubry Z.

Waterford’s Paddy O’Connell and Quality Command were the only four faulters from the opening round.

Jump-Off Rounds 1 & 2

Derry rider Daniel Coyle and VDL Mourinho exited at the jump-off round 1 stage – where only the triple bar and the Wall had to be jumped – when failing to successfully clear the Wall at 1.95m (6′ 5″).

In jump-off round 2, the first to take on the Wall at 2.05m (6′ 9″) was Sligo’s Richard Howley aboard the Bolesworth Puissance victor, French Connection. The pair dislodged a brick from the top of the Wall, with the same happening to the Dutch competitor Zoi Snels with Jiminez Z.

Jordan Coyle and Eristov, next into the Laya Arena, became the first combination to clear the Wall at 2.05m (6′ 9″).

His fellow Irish rider Mikey Pender, riding Coblue PS, experienced the same fate as Richard Howley and Zoi Snels as they knocked part of the top line of the Wall.

Rachel Proudley and Easy Boy De Laubry Z ensured a third jump-off round when they went clear. They were followed by Andrew Hodgins from Sligo with Shanaclough Luichew, and then Longford’s Derek McCoppin and Explosief’s Legacy.

Jump-Off Rounds 3 & 4

For jump-off round 3, the Wall was increased to 2.15m with four combinations talking on the challenge.

Jordan Coyle and Eristov went clear, before Rachel Proudley and Easy Boy De Laurby Z followed them, to ensure there would be jump-off round four. Andrew Hodgins and Shanaclough Luichew were unable to clear the Wall at 2.15m, but were immediately followed into the arena by Derek McCoppin with Explosief’s Legacy, who became the third combination to go through to a final round.

The fourth jump-off round saw both Coyle and Proudley have four faults each, as they and their horses failed to clear the Wall at 2.22m (7′ 3″). Derek McCoppin and his partner, Explosief’s Legacy, had both the triple bar and the Wall down for eight fault.

As a result Coyle with Eristov and Proudley and Easy Boy De Laubry Z shared the win in the Defender Puissance for 2026.

Speaking after the class, Derry rider Jordan Coyle admitted:

“I actually feel disappointed. I think I let him down bigtime in the last round. I actually think he would have jumped it if I had done my job, but for him to retire like this is unbelievable. He is actually the horse that started everything for me. What he has given me has been unbelievable and for him to retire like this in incredible.”

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With 11 of the 12 combinations that qualified for the jump-off electing to return, the Coolmore Showjumping-owned bay gelding left all poles in place and delivered a jump-off clear round in 37.02 seconds.

Big names such as Richard Vogel and Kevin Staut were still to come, and though both had faster times, they each had a fence down with Phenyo Van Het Keysersbos and Ever De Turan respectively.

American Aga Khan-winning riders from Friday Natalie Dean and Laura Kraut took second and third with Pedro Van De Barlebuis and Una Mariposa respectively – both also delivering clears in the jump-off.

Richard Vogel & Chember 3 win RDS Stakes

The World Number 2-ranked rider Richard Vogel won the CSIO5* 1.45m RDS Stakes in the Laya Arena, the first International class in the Laya Arena on Saturday. The German rider and Chember 3 were clear in the fastest time of 59.33 seconds.

Commandant Geoff Curran and the Minister For Defence’s DHF Alliance, who had led for much of the class, took the runner-up spot, clear in 60.18 seconds.

The third place on the podium went to Kevin Staut from France, riding Fast de Denat, following their clear round in 60.42 seconds.

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Drawn first to jump of the eight teams competing in the opening round, Ireland came into today’s class as third favourites as per Equiratings.com – behind the number 1-ranked team, USA, and Germany.

Both Ireland and the USA produced three clears in the first round, with Cian O’Connor, making his 20th Aga Khan appearance, opting not to jump in the first round over the course designed by Tipperary man Alan Wade, the designer chosen for the course for the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028 – the first Irishman to achieve the honour.

Three First Round Clears for Ireland

Thirty-one-year-old Daniel Coyle with Farrel gave Ireland the perfect start with a clear round. His brother, Jordan, riding Chaccolino matched him, before the third-line rider, Shane Sweetnam, aboard Coriaan Van Klapschuet Z also went clear. With three clears in the opening round it was decided that Cian O’Connor and Kentucky TN would not jump.

The USA team, which started the competition as favourites, also ended the first round on a score of zero. Interestingly, their anchor leg, Laura Kraut and Baloutinue decided, unlike the Irish anchor rider Cian O’Connor, to compete in the first round. The US combination had four faults, but with one score being discarded, they still ended round one with a clean sheet.

Britain, who have previously won the Aga Khan Trophy a record 27 times were third after the first round, having collected one time fault each from Robert and John Whitaker.

The Swiss had four faults, Germany and Belgium eight, last year’s winners, The Netherlands, were on a score of 10, while France brought up the rear with 17 faults.

Aga Khan Goes Down To The Wire

In the second round, Ireland jumped last of the eight teams, with the USA second-last to take on the 1.60m course.

Double clears came from the Derry brothers, Daniel and Jordan Coyle, aboard Farrel and Chaccolino respectively. Shane Sweetnam and Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z had one fence down for four faults, while Ireland’s anchor combination, Cian O’Connor and Kentucky TN, also knocked a pole in the final line of jumps, much to the disappointment of the excited and expectant home crowd in a packed Laya Arena.

Karl Cook and Paris Sellon also delivered double clears for the USA, before Natalie Dean and Mr Bombastic had four faults. Laura Kraut and Baloutinue, who had knocked part A of fence 10 in the opening round, made no mistake this time and delivered a clear to heap the pressure on Cian O’Connor the final rider to enter the arena.

Riding a fresh horse in Kentucky TN, who hadn’t jumped in the first round, the Irish combination knocked 10b leaving the USA as winners of the 100th anniversary edition of the Nations Cup of Ireland. The Number 1-ranked show jumping team won the Aga Khan Perpetual Trophy for a ninth time, their first success in the class since 2024.

Final Result

The final result saw Robert Ridland’s side finish on zero, ahead of Ireland on 4 faults. Switzerland took the third spot on the podium with a faster 8 faults than the Germans who were fourth.

Britain was fifth on 10 faults, Belgium on 12, The Netherlands finished with 19 faults, with the French, who certainly had an off day, last on a total of 37 faults.

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Arguably the sports most famous and prestigious prize is on offer, the Aga Khan Perpetual Trophy.

The Jessica Kurten-managed Irish team will be first to jump this afternoon as the home side bids to win the trophy for the first time since 2022.

The Irish side will comprise of Derry’s Daniel Coyle and Farrel, his brother Jordan, riding Chaccolino, Cork’s Shane Sweetnam partnering Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z, with Meath’s Cian O’Connor riding Kentucky TN.

Three of the riders on the Ireland team this afternoon are ranked in the top-25 in the showjumping world rankings. Shane Sweetnam is the highest ranked at number three. Daniel Coyle stands at number 20 in the rankings, five spots ahead of Cian O’Connor on 25.

The other teams competing in the Nations Cup competition today are Britain, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, USA, Belgium and France.

The Parade of Teams will begin in the Laya Arena at 1.45pm.

The first round of the Nations Cup of Ireland will be from 3pm to 4.15pm, with the second round following immediately at 4.30pm. The winning side should be know shortly before 6pm this evening.

Equiraitings.com make Ireland third favourites to win this afternoon, giving them an 18% chance to add to their previous 24 Aga Khan Trophy wins. The Irish showjumping team has also achieved 12 podium finishes here at the RDS since 2010, more than any nation has achieved at any venue.

The U S are pre-competition favourites by Equiraitings.com. The Robert Ridland-managed team is rated with a 23% chance of victory, followed by Otto Becker’s Germany on 22%. The Americans last won the Nations Cup of Ireland in 2024, while the Germans last lifted the Aga Khan Perpetual Trophy in 2007.

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Riding King Kannan GP, who also won on the opening day, the Derry rider took victory in the Reynolds Logistics Speed Derby with a clear round in 83.46 seconds.

German Richard Vogel, with Chember 3, took the runner-up position, also producing a clear in 84.03 seconds.

Anthony Bourquard from Switzerland, riding Flanagan Semilly, were also clear in a time of 86.92 seconds.

Karl Cook & Foxy De La Roque win Cashel Palace Hotel Stakes

The Cashel Palace Hotel Stakes later in the afternoon went to American Karl Cook and Foxy De La Roque. The combination were clear in the opening round, before producing the fastest clear of 37.11 seconds in the jump-off.

Kevin Staut, the former World Number 1-ranked rider from France, was second aboard Ever De Turan, producing a clear in 38.43 in the jump-off round.

Former Ireland Chef D’Équipe, Rodrigo Pessoa from Brazil, completed an all-International podium, as Major Tom stopped the clock at 38.72 in round two, his second clear round of the class.

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He won the Laya Arena Stakes in the early afternoon and followed up with success in the day’s feature contest, the CSIO5* Sport Ireland Classic this evening.

In the 1.55m class, a total of 55 combinations – 16 of them from Ireland – took up the challenge of the Alan Wade-designed course.

The home representatives dominated the class, taking six of the first seven places.

Coyle and the nine-year-old chestnut ran out winners with a clear round in a time of 65.49 seconds.

Their nearest rivals were Cork’s Shane Sweetnam with Pia Maria H. The mare also produced a clear round, as she stopped the clock at 66.97 seconds.

The all-Irish podium was completed by Tipperary’s Tom Wachman. Riding the Coolmore Showjumping-owned Do It Easy, they left all fences in tact as they crossed the finishing line with a clear in 67.99 seconds.

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The 10-year-old gelding Cordiamo jumped a clear round in a highly impressive time of 55.84 seconds to win the Laya Arena Stakes.

Swiss Anthony Bourquard was over four seconds slower in the runner-up position, as he and Flanagan Semilly also went clear, clocking 60.49 seconds.

Former Team Ireland Chef d’Équipe, Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, took third. Riding the 10-year-old Giorgio D’Ellipse, they were clear in 61.06 seconds to complete the podium.

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Francis Derwin and Parvati Aeg were first to have the Irish tricolour raised in the Laya Arena, as they claimed the 1.45m Speed Stakes on Wednesday afternoon.

Their clear round in a time of 54.21 seconds was enough for the win, ahead of Tipperary’s Tom Wachman with Obora’s Laura, who were also clear, but in a slower time of 56.40 seconds.

The podium was completed by France’s Robin Lesqueren and Galax du Rouet – they also left all poles in places, stopping the timer in 57.21 seconds.

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The high quality class saw 40 horse and rider combinations tackle Alan Wade’s course, but it was the penultimate combination to jump who produced the only clear round of the final day feature competition.

The veteran US rider took the €166,000 winner’s prize on the Cherry Knoll Farm-owned mare.

Former Ireland chef d’équipe Rodrigo Pessoa and Major Tom claimed the runner-up position with the fastest of 11 four-fault scores. The Brazilian and his partner clocked 73.61 seconds to take home €100,000.

US-based Cork rider Shane Sweetnam finished best of the Irish in third place on the podium with CSF James Kann Cruz, stopping the timers at 74.39 seconds, to win €75,000.

Seven nationalities were represented in the top-10 of the five star €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix of Ireland, with combinations from Germany, Britain, Canada and Mexico joining the three countries represented on the podium.

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The win was a third Aga Khan Trophy success for the Dutch, who finished the competition as the only team on a zero score.

The winning team consisted of Frank Schuttert (Isis), Kevin Jochem (Camilla Van De Helle), William Greve (Grandorado TN N.O.P.) and Harrie Smolders (Mr. Tac).

Smolders, the anchor rider for the Dutch, knew he couldn’t afford to knock a fence in the second round, as four faults would have seen a jump-off between the Netherlands, Ireland and Germany.

The foot perfect round by Smolders and Mr. Tac gave the Dutch their first Aga Khan win since 2010.

Ireland and Germany finished level on four faults, but with the Germans faster combined times, they were placed second, ahead of the home nation.

The two younger Irish riders on the team, 20-year-old Tom Wachman and 23-year-old Séamus Hughes Kennedy both produced double clear rounds on their mounts Tabasco De Toxandria Z and ESI Rocky respectively.

Tipperary’s Denis Lynch and Vistogrand, the Irish pathfinders, had four faults in both rounds.

Cian O’Connor and Bentley De Sury had one fence down in the first round, before going clear in the second.

The defending Aga Khan champions, the USA, finished in fourth position, ahead of the British in fifth, and Canada in sixth. Mexico took seventh position, with Switzerland in eighth.

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