Joseph Murphy represented Ireland in the individual and team eventing at the 2012 London Olympic Games, finishing 14th individually and 5th as a member of the Irish team – the best Irish eventing team result at the Games.

Riding Electric Cruise, he was one of only five competitors to post a clear cross-country round, followed by two clear show-jumping rounds, and finished as best of the Irish individually. He even postponed his wedding to take part.

Murphy grew up in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, one of six brothers – including an identical twin, Ciaran – all of whom played GAA football, several at county level. In their mid-teens the twins swapped football boots for riding boots, taking lessons from Westmeath Hunt MFH Clarissa Croll before meeting Danish event rider Dot Love, who introduced them to eventing.

Murphy spent 12 years based at Charlestown House, hunting, eventing and riding in point-to-points. A qualified quantity surveyor, he was shortlisted for Rio 2016 and went on to represent Ireland at the 2014 World Equestrian Games and four editions of the European Eventing Championships, as well as captaining Ireland to their first ever eventing Nations Cup win at Boekelo in 2015. He was Eventing Ireland’s leading rider from 2012 to 2017.