RTÉ's Dancing With The Stars had a new winner this weekend in the form of Nina Carberry and her professional partner Pasquale La Rocca.
Carberry is well known for being one of Ireland's former female National Hunt jockeys.
She created history when riding the winner at the 2011 Irish Grand National. She has also racked up seven winners at Cheltenham and rode 423 winners in her career.
Nina Carberry has been crowned champion of Ireland's Dancing with the Stars! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/ggS6fnNZP2 — Racing Post (@RacingPost) March 27, 2022
She impressed judges throughout the series with her dancing skills.
Carberry beat off the likes of Irish Paralympic swimmer and bronze medallist Ellen Keane and others to take home the dancing gong.
Originally touted as a dark horse by bookies and judges, the retired jockey said she was determined to get better as the weeks wore on.
She said: "Just go for it, if you have a determination that you want to be good at something, if you put your mind to it you can do it.
"I was brutal at the start! Seriously, so if you have a will, there is a way."
Gold Cup winner Rachael Blackmore tweeted out support and asked viewers to vote for her fellow jockey by tweeting
"Vote for Nina Carberry this Sunday, RTE One 6.30.
"Text Nina to 53125 when the voting lines open."
Vote for @ninacarberry this Sunday @RTEOne 6.30 @DWTSIRL — Rachael Blackmore (@rachaelblackmor) March 27, 2022
Text Nina to 53125 when the voting lines open 💃🏻 pic.twitter.com/y0yvVkXGzM
Fans of the show also tweeted their support and congratulatory messages for the 37-year-old
One user said: "Fully deserved champi Probably the best of all five champions."
Another said "Many congratulations to you and your dance partner on your brilliant win".
Carberry now joins an exclusive list of winners which includes RTE's Lottie Ryan, presenter Mairéad Ronan, Nathan Carter's brother Jake Carter and others who have scooped up the prize.
Speaking after Carberry told Nicky Byrne,
"It's hard to sum it up,"
"This is an incredible show, and these are incredible too,"
