This year saw the unveiling of the Paul Darragh Perpetual Challenge Trophy to be presented to the winner of the International Speed Derby in memory of Paul.

Paul was a legend in his own lifetime and was not only a national showjumping hero but indeed an international hero who was also an ambassador for the Royal Dublin Society and he decoted much personal time and effort to promoting the aims of the society.

Ireland's Chef d'Equipe, Robert Splaine said of the new trophy honouring Paul "Appropriately the trophy will be awarded to the winner of the Speed Derby not only because of Paul's success in speed competitions throughout his career but also for the way he approached other show jumping competitions. Paul was renowned throughout his career for the energy and vivacity with which he approached the sport. IT made him exciting to watch and always a crowd favourite at Dublin and abroad".

Paul Darragh was a member of the Aga Khan team which won three consecutive years from 1977 to 1979 with the chestnut mare Heather Honey and with this he was written into the history books. Twenty years after the first of those successes, he was on the team that won the trophy again in 1997, his last major win on an Irish team before his untimely death.

Paul represented Ireland 54 times in Nations Cups and had many individual successes including victories in the Hickstead Derby and and the International Grand Prix at Dublin Horse Show.

After pulling back from International competition, Paul became a much sought after trainer. He trained Princess Haya who became the first Jordanian to compete at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and it was his quiet and sympathetic manner which made him such a great trainer.

The Perpetual Challenge Trophy was sculpted by renowned equine sculptor Janet McGloughlin Minch and the bronze figure features Paul Darragh and his top speed horse PJ Carroll in full flight.

So who would be the first recipient of this wonderful trophy? There were 35 starters representing nine nations and with a prize fund of €20,000 so the competition was going to be fast and furious.

The class is run as a Table C with seconds added for rails down so there would be no letting up the pressure if a rail fell - the accelerator just had to hit the floor harder to make up time!

Pictured left - Molly was making sure she lost no time on course, including coming through the finish flags lying low on the horse for a more aero dynamic exit.

Next to make the bid for the trophy was Switzerland's Markus Fuchs and Fritz Lamminger's 12 year old grey Almeto Z's gelding Sylver II - pictured below - and this man is a master at speed classes! He rode a controlled, fast and careful round - there was no scrubbing the ears off the horse, no wild flapping and kicking - just pure class jumping with strides taken out and tight turns!

The reward was a clear round which stopped the clock at 75.70secs which put them provisionally in the lead - and although we said it after Molly's round that hers would be hard to beat - this one would take some beating that is for sure now!

Sylver II was well pleased with himself and decided to give a "yippee" buck - pictured below - and Markus knew he had done all that was possible to win and if someone beat him they deserved the win!

Next to come close to unseating Markus, and successful in pushing fellow American, Molly, out of provisional second was rookie Georgina Bloomberg and the 12 year old Indoctro mare Nadia.

The American girls were obviously given the same instructions, "go through the start flags and do not take a pull until you are well clear of the finish flags" - and that is precisely what Georgina did and the result was a clear round stopping the clock in 76secs flat putting them provisionally into second at this stage.

Georgina - pictured below - was the fifth member of the traveling all girl American team who also had a female Chef d'Equip was enjoying spending time in the home country of boyfriend, Cian O'Connor.

Ireland's Shane Breen is well known to enjoy a good crack at a Speed class and today was no exception - he was fearless, trusted the horse and just kept kicking! The crowd went wild, screaming their encouragement at every fence and by the time he got to the final fence they were going mad but the time wasn't quite good enough to displace the winner - all fences left standing with the clock stopping at 76.24secs.

Shane thrilled the crowd with his own 9 year old Irish Sport Horse gelding Dorada - pictured below proving that even though he now lives in England wife new wife Chloe Bunn and new baby.

Sweden's Niklas Arvidsson and VDL Empire 1115, the 8 year old stallion by Emillion made a good try at it jumping clear in 77.13secs.

The handsome stallion didn't look like he was all that fast because he ate

up the course so easily covering the distance and without taking any risks but producing a placing time.

Pictured below - Niklas and VDL Empire 1115.

Capt. Shane Carey for the MInister of Defence is another who is not shy about "having a go" when it comes to Speed classes and today riding the newly acquired Cashla Bay he gave it his best finishing with the fastest time of 74.24secs but a fence down added four seconds giving them a final time of 78.24secs.

Cashla Bay, previously known as Hands Free was produced by Olive Clarke from the beginning of his career through to Grand prix level and since moving to the McKee Army Barracks the horse has had an excellent start to his International career.

Pictured below - Capt. Shane Carey and Cashla Bay take on the first part of the treble.

FINAL PLACINGS:

1st - Markus Fuchs (SUI)
2nd - Georgina Bloomberg (USA)
3rd - Shane Breen (IRE)
4th - Molly Ashe-Cawley (USA)
5th Niklas Arvidsson (SWE)
6th - Capt. Shane Carey (IRE)