Expectations of victory quickly disappeared as riders fumbled, writes Sean MacConnell
Reality came in the form of a cold fog to the Royal Dublin Society showgrounds in Dublin where in the space of a few hours we lost both the summer and the Nations Cup.
At noon yesterday the sunshine was burning the green lawns, and the thousands who had come to see an Irish victory in the cup were relaxed and confident.
The two Irish wins in the previous two legs of the Samsung Superleague had fed a feelgood factor in the crowd, and they gave a warm welcome to the President, Mrs McAleese, who was to have presided over a victorious day.
But somewhere between clear Dutch rounds and Irish fumbling, the sea fog came rolling in and wiped the confidence and the summer away as if to tell us all that we had no right to be enjoying ourselves.
By the time we got to the Angelus at six o'clock, the French had waltzed off with the Nations Cup, it was freezing and we were back to normal.
Ireland, within half a point of overhauling the French in the league, found themselves six points behind, and the President was shaking hands with the beaming French.
The French chef d'équipe, Jean-Maurice Bonneau, who had been unkind earlier in the week about the RDS course, was magnanimous in victory. declaring the course and the grounds superb.
He told a press conference that the French hoped to win the competition outright over the next two legs and reminded the media that the Nations Cup win last year was the first in Dublin for 45 years.
He was kind enough to praise Ireland as having a great equine tradition but declined an invitation to return to Dublin next time wearing a rugby shirt.
"I will be watching the Rugby World Cup with great interest," he laughed.
Apart from the collapse of the summer and the possibility of the return of the 10-year monsoon season which has made up the last decade, the horse show crowd enjoyed themselves despite the defeat.
There was, however, a dearth of celebrities on the ground.
Even the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, failed to make it to the RDS.
There was a rumour that 007 himself, Pierce Brosnan, was lurking somewhere in the grounds, but he must have been using one of his disguises as he couldn't be located anywhere.
Perhaps the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, had the right idea heading off to France where he can celebrate a French victory in sunshine.