Until this year, Shane Breen (IRL) had never done a full week at Olympia. Now, he’s won his first rankings class and been crowned the victor in The €15,500 Christmas Masters CSI 5*, a winner-takes-all knockout contest for the leading seven riders in the show.

The British trio of William Whitaker (GBR), John Whitaker (GBR) and William Funnell (GBR) exited by the second round, as did Ireland’s Darragh Kenny. Then Dutchman Doron Kuipers (NED), making his first visit to Olympia, hit a fence in the third and it was all down to Breen, riding Clyde VA, and Maikel van der Vleuten from the Netherlands, who took it to a jump-off against the clock in the fifth round for the jackpot of €9,500.

“I knew Maikel would be quicker [on Dana Blue], which is a more experienced horse than mine, so I had to hope he would have a fence down – and he obliged!”

Breen, a keen hunting man, said of his winning mount, Clyde VA: “I think a lot of this horse. He’s a little bit lazy to ride, but he’s going to be a good addition to Team Ireland.”