TEAM Ireland took their place on the podium at the conclusion of the inaugural FEI Eventing World Championships U25 presented by Connolly’s Red Mills at Millstreet last Sunday, when their efforts were rewarded with the bronze medal. The competition epitomised the rollercoaster ride that is eventing, with its highs, lows and cross-country drama, and proved thrilling right to the line. Great Britain claimed the gold medal and, after a duel throughout the final phase which saw them swap places several times, Germany won the silver medal ahead of the hosts.
A total of 40 athletes from 14 nations travelled to Millstreet to contest these championships, designed to bridge the gap between the existing youth championships at continental level and senior ranks and run at CCI4*-S level. FEI Director of Eventing Molly Day thanked Millstreet’s Thomas Duggan, his niece and the event organiser Emma Hickey, and all the officials for what she described as an “incredible event”. She added: “This championship has showcased the future of our sport. We have seen outstanding horsemanship, sportsmanship and talent throughout the week and I look forward to watching these athletes in their senior careers.”
Ireland sat at the top of the standings after dressage, though margins were small, ahead of Germany and Great Britain with less than four penalties covering the medal positions. Jennifer Kuehnle lay second individually having put in a personal best performance with the 17-year-old Sammy Davis Junior to score 29.2, leaving them just adrift of the pre-event favourites, Germany’s Calvin Boeckmann and Altair De La Cense, on 27.6. European Young Rider medallist Jasmine Underwood rode into third place with Indian Girl G, while another of the Irish riders, Godfrey Gibbons, sat fourth with Richard Ames’ Ballyvillane OBOS.
Horse Sport Ireland’s eventing high performance manager Sam Griffiths was delighted with the team performance in the first phase, and he was also quick to credit his riders’ dressage coaches. “It’s my understanding that this was the first time an Irish team has led the dressage at four-star level competition,” he said afterwards, “and a lot of praise is due to dressage trainers Heike Holstein and Tracie Robinson, who have done a fantastic job with our riders. That said, it comes down to the athletes to deliver, and I was thrilled with them.”
Ireland in silver
Ireland slipped to silver on Saturday evening, after the Mike Etherington Smith-designed cross-country phase, on a day when Britain’s Alice Casburn and her home-bred Topspin showed all their experience to put in the fastest round. Finishing just seven seconds over the optimum time left them with just 2.8 time penalties, a result which propelled them and their team to the top of the standings.
Calvin Boeckmann’s slower round for 12.4 time penalties included some heart-stopping moments for the crowd at Drishane Castle and left him in bronze medal position overnight, behind Ireland’s Tom Nestor and Cooley Diamond Dancer. Nestor put in a super round for just 4.4 time penalties, the third fastest of the day, on what was only his horse’s second run at four-star level.
Tom Nestor and Cooley Diamond Dancer put in a super cross-country performance during the FEI Eventing World Championships U25 at Millstreet
Irish pathfinders Jennifer Kuehnle and Sammy Davis Junior put in a steadier clear round to sit 10th after cross-country, while her teammate Isny O’Donnell did similar to rise from 37th to 19th riding her 11-year-old gelding Vital DK Z. Ireland’s anchorman Godfrey Gibbons secured the team’s place in the standings when he completed with 11.2 time penalties, dropping one place to lie fifth individually. While problems were well spread out across the course, it was a particularly disappointing day for the American team as they dropped out of contention when two of their combinations parted company.
Heartbreak at horse inspection
The final horse inspection on Sunday proved heartbreaking both for overnight leader Alice Casburn who was unable to present Topspin, and for Jennifer Kuehnle who withdrew Sammy Davis Junior. “He was very angry not to be jumping this morning,” Casburn said later of her veteran five-star campaigner, “but I felt he wasn’t 100%. It was very hard, but my teammates have been brilliant and he will now have a happy retirement,” she concluded. These withdrawals left Ireland without a discard score in the final phase and meant that Tom Nestor was show jumping for an individual gold medal.
It wasn’t to be for Nestor and fences down left him eighth individually, directly behind his teammate Godfrey Gibbons, who had a single rail on the ground with Ballyvillane OBOS. Calvin Boeckmann entirely justified his status as number one in the U25 world rankings when his flawless clear round saw him claim individual gold, while Britain’s Cerys Macaulay and Olivia Dutton of the USA rose from 12th and 26th respectively to take the silver and bronze medals. Dutton rode the Clare Abbott-produced Irish Sport Horse Jewelent who has also previously been ridden by her multi-medalled father, Phillip.
Ireland ultimately claimed team bronze, and their manager Griffiths was proud of their performance. “I’m absolutely thrilled with how hard the team fought and to come away with a team bronze was an outstanding effort. We had a week where the riders really stepped up. On the last day, it didn’t quite go our way, but the team showed great unity and resilience and they fought really hard right to the end. To get a team bronze is really pleasing. I think this lays a fantastic foundation for the future and, hopefully, we’ll see these riders break into the senior team in the not too distant future.”