Eight-year-old James Cleary lives in Athlone with his parents Paul and Joan.

“I’m in second class in Clonbonny National School in Athlone. I hope to get a day off school to go to Balmoral Show in May and then I make my First Communion that week,” explains James.

“I saw Davy Russell at the races, I know some of the jockeys from going to the races. Galway is my favourite. I’d see Davy, Ruby Walsh and a lot of the other jockeys. My grandad Tom trains racehorses at home and my uncle Rory is a flat jockey. He wants me to be a flat jockey like him but I want to be a jump jockey.

“That’s Rory’s twin brother in the photo, as well as my mammy [Joan]. His name is Thomas and he is a farrier.

“Davy came over to us at Dublin Horse Show, he was asking mammy and my uncle where he could get a bowler hat. He was a judge of the Racehorse to Riding Horse class and was looking for a bowler hat to wear, so then he got a loan of Lorcan Glynn’s hat. I got a big surprise to see Davy Russell standing in front of us.”

GRAND NATIONAL SUCCESS

“I was hoping he and Tiger Roll would win the Grand National again. I said before the race that I think they can and dad said I was roaring for the Tiger and Davy to win. It was brilliant when they won.

“I love jumping and I want to be a jump jockey and do show jumping too. When I was very small I did the lead rein class at Athlone. That was the first show I went to. I did the lead rein class at Moate and Athenry and any of the shows near us.

“Now I like show jumping, cross country and hunting more. One of my ponies is called Little Paddy Brown. He was bred by dad’s uncle Paddy Dunning and he is the best pony out hunting. We don’t know how he is bred but he is definitely my Tiger Roll.

“There was a photo taken of us [by Nicola Collins] jumping this nice size hedge with a big drop, we were out hunting that day with the South Westmeath Hunt in Tubberclair. Then the photo was in The Irish Field.

“I am going to go show jumping with Little Paddy Brown this year, he is four. I have two other ponies for show jumping, their names are JK 007 and Coppenagh Cahoots. Last year at Millstreet I won the under 8’s final.

“I like playing football but show jumping is my favourite sport. I help out on the farm too, we have a few lambs and there is a [Crosstown Dancer] mare that will foal in May.

“I help dad with his horses that he brings to shows, he is bringing the three-year-old [by Sligo Candy Boy] to Balmoral. I hope I get that day off school.”