Ireland’s Niamh McEvoy and Flora du Mesnil won Saturday’s CSIO5* 1.50m Dublin Stakes for award of the Wylie Perpetual Trophy at the 2025-edition of Dublin Horse Show. All photos © Nanna Nieminen for World of Showjumping.
Text © World of Showjumping
Ireland’s Niamh McEvoy, 21, and the 10-year-old mare Flora du Mesnil (Copin van de Broy x Echogene Latour) won Saturday’s CSIO5* 1.50m Dublin Stakes for award of the Wylie Perpetual Trophy at the 2025-edition of Dublin Horse Show, taking their first ever five-star win on home soil.
“I thought it was a very tricky course, there were only seven clear rounds, and a very strong field as well,” McEvoy commented to World of Showjumping.
Seven from the 44 horse-and-rider combinations at start cleared Alan Wade’s (IRL) first-round track, but when Bertram Allen (IRL) and Conquest de Rigo (Fantomas de Muze x Indoctro) opted not to contest the jump-off, the battle was left between six pairs.
With a time of 35.75 in the jump-off, McEvoy and Flora du Mesnil took the win ahead of Willem Greve (NED) and Pretty Woman van’T Paradijs (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Bamako de Muze) in second in 37.08 and Jason Smith (SUI) aboard Picobello van’T Roosakker (Kassander van’T Roosakker x Canabis Z) in third in 37.19. Tom Wachman (IRL) and Do It Easy (Vigo Cece x Laeken) finished fourth in 37.33, while a fence down in 36.91 left Laura Kraut (USA) and Emeraldo 4 (Emerald x Narcos II) to fifth.
"It is so, so special to win at Dublin, it is my first time to ever win a five-star class, and it is a show we aim toward every year," McEvoy said.
“I am really delighted with her today, I think she jumped incredible,” McEvoy told World of Showjumping about Flora du Mesnil. “She always tries really hard, she is so careful and has so much scope. However, she is relatively green at this level, so I am happy to win today. She is naturally a fast mare, and I know how careful she is, so I just wanted to do smooth jump-off with her. She is so naturally fast that today it was quick enough. It is so, so special to win at Dublin, it is my first time to ever win a five-star class, and it is a show we aim toward every year. It is amazing to get the opportunity to jump the five-star here.”
Earlier during the day Michael Pender (IRL) and HHS Fortune (Catoki x Douglas) won the CSIO5* 1.50m Royal Dublin Society Stakes. With a time of 56.01 in the competition judged as a Table A, the 25-year-old took the win ahead of the newly crowned European Champion, Germany’s Richard Vogel and Phenyo van het Keysersbos (Corydon van T&L x Heartbreaker), who had to settle for second in 56.35. Matthew Sampson (GBR) and Fabrice DN (Gelha’s VDL Emilion x Baloubet du Rouet) completed the podium in third, followed by Denis Lynch (IRL) and Katja (Etoulon x Otangelo) in fourth and Harrie Smolders (NED) aboard Devino vd Weretherbach Z (De Flor 111 Z x Calvin Z) in fifth.
“I am delighted to win here again today in Dublin, it is a very special show for us,” Pender told World of Showjumping. “Fortune has won two classes here, so that is very special, and she always gives everything. It is amazing to win a class here.”
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