CO Clare show jumper Eoin McMahon (24) secured victory in the three-star Grand Prix at the indoor show in Braunschweig, Germany, recently.

The Cratloe native, who rides for Germany legend Ludger Beerbaum, guided Chacon 2 to one of 13 clears in the opening round. Against the clock, just three combinations managed to keep a clean sheet, with McMahon breaking the beam in 40.64 seconds to earn €43,500.

Germany’s Tim Rieskamp-Goedeking slotted into second place with Querido 58 (0/0 43.51), ahead of Angelique Rüsen and Arac Du Seigneur Z (0/0 43.85).

Speaking to The Irish Field, McMahon said it was a special class to win at a prestigious German show. “It was nice to win actually because Eddie Macken won the Grand Prix at one of the first editions of that show, and all the riders here [at Ludger’s stable] have won it, so I was the odd one out,” he said.

“I was quite slow in the first round so I was early to go in the jump-off. He is naturally quite fast so I knew he would be fast, but I missed one of my turns so I didn’t think I would win. Some of the guys towards the end had one down so I had a bit of luck.”

Speaking about the 14-year-old gelding who is owned by Madeleine Winter-Schulze, he added: “Ludger rode him before me and I got him properly in November 2018 so I have had him over a year now. He has been a really special horse for me because I did my first real proper year of World Cup shows with him and to win a Grand Prix like that was brilliant.”

Dream job

McMahon began working for Beerbam in 2018 and is among six top riders at the stable. “It was always a dream to work for him, something I really wanted to do. I was always a bit too shy to ask him. I asked him in 2018 and he said yes. I had to start at the bottom, I only had the young horses to ride but one thing lead to another and now I have some really nice horses,” McMahon said.

His goal for 2020 is make his senior Nations Cup debut. “I haven’t done a Nations Cup yet so really want to do one,” he said, adding that a return to the internationals in Dublin might be out of his reach. “I would definetly like to get back to Dublin, everyone wants to go there. But I think I will be a bit too far away in the rankings.

“I have a really nice horse called My Kiwi. He is almost ready to do his first Grand Prix and for the outdoor season I think he will be one to watch.”