ALL the action may be at the Dublin Horse Show this weekend but the Green Glens Arena in Millstreet, Co Cork, is busily putting the finishing touches on the preparations for the 2016 FEI European Jumping Championships for Young Riders, Juniors and Children on Horses, which will host athletes from almost 30 countries.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, will officially open the FEI Championships next Tuesday evening on an event, which not only promises a great week of exciting international competition, but will also provide a multi-milllion euro boost to the entire Munster region.

Presented by Devenish Nutrition in association with Failte Ireland, all the stops are being pulled out at the flagship venue for the hosting of the FEI Championships.

Millstreet last played host to the Young Rider European Championships in 1994 on the back of a busy Eurovision year. That year, young Dutch rider Jeroen Dubbeldam took the honours in the individual championship with the famous Killarney.

Christian Ahlmann and Marcus Ehning took individual silver and sixth place respectively and were also on the gold-medal-winning German team, while Malin Baryard helped clinch team silver for Sweden.

In the 22 years that have followed, all these riders have gone to dominate at the top level of international show jumping, while the Green Glens Arena has itself undergone a remarkable transformation, now boasting 16 all-weather arenas and three indoor arenas, together with 1,500 on-site stables.

No stranger to championship level competition, Millstreet hosted the FEI European Championships for Ponies in 2014, to great acclaim, and a number of athletes who participated two years ago are continuing to climb up the ranks, travelling to Millstreet this year as juniors and young riders.

These include Austria’s Johanna Sixt, Denmark’s Benedikte Rie Truelsen, Britain’s Emily Ward, and also Justine Tebbel and Lars Volmer, who were members of the bronze medal-winning German team.

Britain’s Harry Charles also makes a return trip to Millstreet, but this time with his two siblings Scarlett and Sienna, who will be representing Britain in the Junior and Children on Horses Championships.

The entries in the young rider section include such outstanding competitors as Britain’s Millie Allen, who won individual gold in Fontainebleau and silver in Arezzo; Britain’s Emma O’Dwyer, who won team silver at pony level for Ireland; Lisa Nooren and Kevin Jochems (NED) and Ireland’s own Matt Garrigan (Team Bronze in Arezzo); Michael G. Duffy and Max O’Reilly-Hyland; and members of the silver medal-winning team in Poland.

Another squad member, Gavin Harley, took the honours recently in the Young Riders Grand Prix in Opglabbeek, Belgium. Ireland will be hoping to build upon their medal haul from the last championships, this time in front of a home crowd.

In 2015 they brought home medals in all three categories, crowned by the performance of Laois-based Jennifer Kuehnle (14), who went on to become individual gold medal winner in the Children on Horses final.

Away from the championship action, the timetable includes a number of national classes for young riders and horses, which will give both valuable exposure to competing under championship conditions under the watchful eyes of potential trainers and purchasers.

ENTERTAINMENT

Meanwhile, an action-packed entertainment schedule is planned including live music, an Irish evening, Mary’s Euro-Quiz and an indoor obstacle course.

The opening ceremony will take place on Tuesday evening when, following a parade of athletes through the town of Millstreet, Minister Michael Creed will officially declare the championships open before renowned musician Liam O’Connor takes to the stage with special guests.

The first horse inspection gets underway at the Green Glens Arena on Monday morning with the medals being decided for the team and individual championships between Thursday and Sunday.

For the first time, all of the championship action will be available to watch live on ClipMyHorse.tv while the feature classes will be simulcast to subscribers of the FEI’s official video platform, FEI TV.

Further information is available on www.millstreet.horse/eu2016