JENNIFER Kuehnle made a strong start for Ireland at the FEI Eventing World Championships U25 on Thursday at Millstreet, when she and Sammy Davis Junior posted an international personal best score as a combination to sit in silver medal position on 29.2.

U25 world number one Calvin Bockmann leads the field for Germany on 27.6, while Jasmine Underwood (GBR) and Indian Girl G lie third 29.3. Godfrey Gibbons and Ballyvillane OBOS are nipping at their heels in fourth on 29.9 while the next best placed Irish rider is Tom Nestor who lies in 13th with Cooley Diamond Dancer on 32.7.

As a team, Ireland are in pole position. Sam Griffiths’ team of Kuehnle, Isny O’Donnell, Nestor and Gibbons sit atop the leader board on a score of 91.8, leading Germany in second on 93.0 and Great Britain on 95.1 in third.

The Irish head into tomorrow’s cross country phase full of confidence and Griffiths said: “I’m delighted with the results, it’s always where to you want to be after the first phase. We appreciate that there’s a long way to go but I think the results are a reflection on all the hard work the athletes have done to get here.

“I want to give a special thanks to our coaches Heike Holstein and Tracey Robinson who have done a fantastic job with our athletes but it comes down to the athletes to have to deliver, so I’m thrilled with them.

“It’s so exciting to have a championship in our home country,” said Kuehnle after her test. “This is my first time as team pathfinder and we now can’t wait to get out there on the cross-country and show them what we’re made of. Sammy Davis Junior has been fourth at two championships, one with Cathal Daniels and one with me, and it would be lovely to go one better here.”

Irish riders are dominating the leaderboards across the majority of the other international classes at Millstreet, with the exception of the Connolly’s Red Mills CCI4*-L, in which Sam Ecroyd and the Irish Sport Horse Bloomfield Manuscript are out in front at the conclusion of the first phase. Sian Coleman lies best of the home raiders here with Maurice Coleman’s Kilroe Frolic, less than two marks off the leaders on 35.2 in fourth.

Godfrey Gibbons currently leads the Foran Equine CCI3*-S with Belline Thistle Bethelasttime, while Ian Cassells is second with Cooley Capri Sun. Cassells is also out in front in the Carr and Day and Martin CCI2*-L on an excellent score of 23.5 with Tom McCarthy’s MGH Rioja followed by Sarah Ennis and Ordonnay.

In the Noel C Duggan Structural Steel CCI4*-S, Lucy Latta heads the standings after dressage with her five-star campaigner RCA Patron Saint, after they were the only combination to break the 30 barrier on 29.9.

The U25s, the CCI4*L and the CCI2*L cross country will be held on the grounds of Drishane Castle beginning at midday today (Saturday) and the action will conclude at Millstreet on Sunday afternoon.

Full report next week.