HORSE Sport Ireland has announced the appointment of Australian Sam Griffiths as its new High Performance Eventing Manager ahead of the FEI World Championships in Aachen this summer and in the lead-up to the LA Olympic Games in 2028.

Griffiths brings extensive experience as an elite athlete, performance manager and coach at the highest level of the sport. A dual Olympian, he won a team bronze medal for Australia at Rio in 2016 as well as Badminton Horse Trials in 2014 on the Irish-bred Paulank Brockagh. Following his success in the saddle, he has built a strong reputation in high performance leadership and programme management, particularly through his involvement with New Zealand’s High Performance Eventing squad.

Griffiths said he was looking forward to working with Ireland’s eventing athletes and support network, saying: “I’m really excited to be appointed as Horse Sport Ireland’s High Performance Eventing Manager. Ireland is a very strong equestrian nation with exceptional horses and riders, so I’m hoping I can get the best out of everyone.”

“This is a strong period for Irish eventing, with some young combinations as well as the more established ones, and the 2025 European Championships (where Ireland came second as a team) was obviously a great result. Ireland is a nation very much on the up. I learned a lot throughout my riding career, and also as head coach for New Zealand, and I’m hoping to implement some of the philosophies I’ve honed along the way to this programme.

“I’m ambitious, we have the World Championships on the horizon and we want to go well there. That’s also a stepping stone to the Olympics, with qualification for Los Angeles on offer. What I want is an Olympic medal, so let’s all pull in the same direction to get there. It’s going to be an exciting time for Irish eventing, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Horse Sport Ireland Chief Executive Denis Duggan added: “We are delighted to welcome Sam Griffiths to Horse Sport Ireland as our new High Performance Eventing Manager. He brings an exceptional blend of elite competitive experience and proven high-performance management expertise. His understanding of what it takes to succeed at the very top of the sport, both as an athlete and as a leader, will be of enormous benefit to our eventing programme.”

Duggan added: “This appointment follows a thorough and competitive RFT and interview process, and Sam stood out for his vision, technical knowledge and alignment with Horse Sport Ireland’s high-performance strategy. His commitment to horse welfare and to transparency within the sport reflects the values at the heart of Horse Sport Ireland’s high-performance system.”

He also paid tribute to the outgoing High Performance Eventing Manager, saying “I would like to sincerely thank Dag Albert for his commitment, professionalism and contribution to Irish eventing during his time with Horse Sport Ireland. Dag has played an important role in supporting our athletes and strengthening the foundations of the High Performance Eventing Programme, and we wish him every success in the future.”