IRELAND claimed a podium position in the opening Region Central qualifier of the 2026 Longines EEF Nations Cup Series at Mannheim last Sunday, in the first of two opportunities to gain qualifying points for September’s final. Jessica Kurten’s team finished third on a total of just four faults, exactly one second behind Belgium who also incurred four penalties, while winners Germany maintained a clean sheet throughout.

Ireland lay in fourth place after the first round, when both Lt Michaeli Byrne riding MSH Claregalway and Max Wachman riding Tipperary left all the poles intact. First to go for Ireland, Matt Garrigan with Grace V, had one pole down for four faults and, when Irish anchors Niall Talbot and Charming Dream Z did the same, it left the team behind Germany, Belgium and the slightly faster French side at the break.