Tipperary rider will make his debut for Ireland in the Aga Khan Trophy

Ahead of his debut on the Irish team in the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse Show this afternoon, Tom Wachman secured the gold medal in the Anglesea Speed Stakes with Hawaii at the RDS yesterday.

The triumph served as a real confidence-booster to Wachman, from Gooldscross, Cashel. 

There could be a significant omen in his success, as the last five-star speed class he won with Hawaii in La Baule, France, served as an appetiser to the Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping Team’s Nations Cup triumph that week.

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Wachman and Hawaii were the last of 33 combinations entering the Main Arena. It was Swiss athlete, Bryan Balsiger who held the lead as they made their bid for glory. Tipperary's Denis Lynch and Katja were in front for a couple of minutes, after going clear in 70.10 but Balsiger improved upon that quickly with Fais Toi Belle du Seigneur Pleville, stopping the clock on 69.65.

Wachman had been studying the action as it unfolded, however, and the Tipperary man eked out the tiniest margins to score with a time of 69.51.

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It was a second five-star success in conjunction with the nine-year-old mare this year and left the Goolds Cross man buoyant as he looked forward to the heaving Ballsbridge venue backing him and his Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping teammates today.

The 20-year-old may lack experience but he has been exposed to elite Nations Cup competition by Michael Blake in 2025, jumping a crucial clear with Tabasco De Toxandria Z in Round 2 of the Barrière Nations Cup victory at La Baule in June. The duo also performed strongly in Rotterdam and Aachen. 

“She’s a super mare,” said Wachman of Coolmore Showjumping’s prodigiously talented chestnut, Hawaii.

“She’s only nine. She’s very fast and competitive. She also had a five-star win in La Baule, so I was delighted to get the win today on home soil. The show here is really special.

“I’m really looking forward to The Aga Khan. I think my horse is in good shape and hopefully the team is good. So I’m just very excited about the whole thing and we’ll keep the head down now and hope all goes well today”.

The Aga Khan Trophy gets underway at 3pm this afternoon and will be shown live on RTÉ.