German team rider Calvin Bockmann and his beloved mare Altair de la Cense are leading after the first day of dressage at the FEI Eventing World Championship U25 at Millstreet, Ireland, presented by Connollys RED MILLS.

The U25 world number one kissed his horse on the nose and gave her sugarlumps in appreciation of their score of 27.6, one of only two sub-30 marks. ‘I am more relieved than anything,’ he said.

This is Calvin’s 10th season with the 16-year-old Selle Francais; they have been through all the levels from Juniors together. ‘It’s kind of cute that you see another side to my horse. I now only warm her up for 10 minutes and I am taking it very chilled with her. I am blessed that she is so cool, with her ears always pricked all the time.’

Ireland’s team pathfinder Jennifer Kuenhle also has a long partnership with her horse, Sammy Davis Junior, and they are currently in second place on 29.2.

‘It is so exciting to have a championship in our home country,’ said a delighted Jennifer. ‘This is my first time as team pathfinder – I am usually the anchorwoman – and we now can’t wait to get out there on the cross-country on Saturday and show them what we’re made of.

‘Sammy David 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.’

Two French riders, Lisa Gualtieri (A d’Aunis), who is competing as an individual, and team member Clara Cazeneuve (Dolce Gabana) are in third and fourth places.

In a varied international line-up, Spanish competitor Marcal Piro Patau is in fifth place on Eventing de Fay. Marcal has already spent time training in Ireland and competed at Millstreet at the Nations Cup in 2024. ‘I feel at home here,’ he said, ‘and I feel so lucky to be here in this arena. I was very happy with my horse, he did a good job.’

Amy Rose Fruhwirth from Austria is in sixth place on Gin Tonic 150 and Alice Casburn and the veteran Topspin are best of the British in equal seventh place with the highest-placed US rider Meg Pellegrini (Dondante).

Alice, the world U25 number three, and the home-bred 18-year-old Topspin have done Juniors, Young Riders and nine CCI5*s together. ‘I do feel pressure, and yet I don’t,’ she explained. ‘It’s wonderful to have a horse that has done all that. He is not the flashiest, but he is a great team horse and he feels as good as ever.

‘Tom [Bird, British team pathfinder] is a good friend of mine and we are both excited to get out there on the cross-country and bring back information to our team mates.’

Dressage for the second half of the field starts at 2pm tomorrow.

Competition is underway in Millstreet’s other classes. Ireland’s Lucy Latta and her 2024 Badminton runner-up RCA Patron Saint lead the Noel C Duggan Structural Steel CCI4*-S after dressage with a mark of 29.9.

British Olympian Tom McEwan is second, fourth and fifth on Brookfield Future News, The Fieldmaster and  Isa. Ian Cassells is in third place on his Millridge Atlantis, the horse he is taking to the World Championships in Aachen next month.

British young rider Isabelle Cook leads the CCI4*-L presented by Connolly’s RED MILLS on Cymoon ‘F’ Z at the halfway stage and Ian Cassells heads the leaderboard for the Carr Day Martin CCI2*-L on MGH Rioja.

Full results and start lists on www.rechenstelle.de

Further information, rider quotes and biographies on www.millstreet.ie

Picture caption:

Calvin Bockmann and Altair de la Cense get Germany off to a strong start by leading the dressage in the FEI World Eventing Championship U25, presented by Connollys RED MILLS at Millstreet, Ireland.

Picture is free to use, but please credit Pam Cunningham/Irish Horse Board