Tipperary rider Liam O’Meara got his season off to a good start as he rode to victory in the opening leg of the HSI/Connolly’s RED MILLS Spring Tour at Kildare International last Sunday. Riding the 11-year-old Mr Coolcaum, he was fastest of the 17 combinations in the jump-off and took home the lion’s share of €2,500 on offer.

Delighted with the win, O’Meara said: “The horse was out of action for a short time due to a stone bruise, but he is clearly back to himself. The plan is to get a few more legs of the tour in before heading to Millstreet for the Welcome Tour [CSI*] in April.”

Along with professional riders, 18 riders also competed in the inaugural pro-am section.

Second to go in the jump-off, Tholm Keane set the bar high as he delivered a clear with Future Storm in 45.06 seconds for eventual sixth. Keane’s lead was short-lived as Edward Doyle, riding Chris Marshall’s stallion Chirokko M, reduced that target to 41.84.

Next in, riding J Silky, Billie Jean O’Neill slower time of 42.42 saw her finish behind Doyle in the lineup.

Taking a break from her normal eventing duties, Sarah Ennis was up for the challenge as she took it on with BLM Diamond Delux. Ennis recorded a clear in 43.97 for eventual fifth.

With only three riders to go, Doyle saw his hopes of a win disappear as Sean Kavanagh riding Pat Duffy’s Brookwood Supersonic negotiated tight lines and reduced the target to 41.23.

Double-handed in the jump-off, Liam O’Meara proved out of luck when faulting at the penultimate fence with Hadley Sport Horses’ Realt NaCarraig.

Returning with Mr Coolcaum, he made no such mistake and lodged the winning time of 37.34 seconds, demoting Kavanagh and Supersonic to second.

Young rider Max O’Reilly Hyland also delivered a clear with Dorado, albeit in the slower time of 46.30. Although he finished just out of the top six, he did enough to claim both the leading young rider and the leading rider in the pro/am section of the tour.