The home nation has made the perfect start to the inaugural FEI World Eventing Championships U25 at Millstreet, Co Cork, presented by Connollys RED MILLS.

The Irish team is in the lead after the dressage phase, with pathfinder Jennifer Kuehnle holding onto her overnight second place on Sammy Davis Junior.

Margins are very tight, however, and an exciting cross-country day is in store tomorrow as fewer than 10 penalties cover the five teams.

Germany is second, with their team pathfinder Calvin Bockmann riding Altair de la Cense still holding the individual lead.

Great Britain is in third place, with Jasmin Underwood their highest-placed rider in third on Indian Girl G.

The USA is fourth, with the experienced Cassie Sanger sixth individually on Fernhill Zoro, and France is fifth, with Clare Cazeneuve 10th on Dolce Gabana and individual competitor Lisa Gualtieri fifth on A d’Aunis.

Godfrey Gibbons clinched Ireland’s slender advantage with fourth place on new ride Ballyvillane OBOS. ‘It’s a great starting point, but we won’t be getting ahead of ourselves,’ he said. ‘It’s a proper championship cross-country course at one of Ireland’s best venues.’

‘It’s a great track,’ agreed British rider Jasmine Underwood of the course designed by Mike Etherington-Smith that awaits competitors tomorrow. ‘There are some good questions, it’s dressed beautifully and a good challenge.

‘It feels very welcoming here at Millstreet – a lovely venue and a super atmosphere.’

Many competitors are here with horses with whom they have long partnerships, through Juniors and Young Riders, and several are either students or working full time at a variety of professions; all have expressed delight and pride at having the chance of a world championship at this early stage of their careers.

The Olympic gold medallist David O’ Connor, chair of the FEI Eventing Committee, explains that the idea has been developing for a few years: ‘The philosophy is that the gap between Young Riders and seniors is quite large and we felt that this age group needed their own championships,’ he said.

‘Whether competitors are intending to become professional riders or whether they are taking up another career, but wanting to remain in the sport, this is their championship and they should feel they are being tested against the best in the world.

‘We couldn’t be happier to have the inaugural FEI World Championship Eventing U25 at Millstreet. It is one of the iconic event sites, with warm hospitality and great cross-country courses. It is wonderful that the whole town has got behind it and turned out to welcome the teams.’

British rider Sam Ecroyd, a regular visitor to Millstreet, leads the Connollys RED MILLS CCI4*-L on Bloomfield Manuscript and Godfrey Gibbons, enjoying a promising weekend so far, leads the Foran Equine CCI2*-L on Belline Thistle Bethelastime.

Cross-country starts at 9am tomorrow with the FEI World Eventing Championship U25 at 2pm.

Full results and start times on www.rechenstelle.de

Further information, rider reactions and biographies, plus live streaming can be accessed on www.millstreet.horse

Picture caption:

Godfrey Gibbons and Ballyvillane OBOS produce a good dressage test to clinch Ireland’s lead at this stage of the FEI World Eventing Championship U25, presented by Connollys RED MILLS.

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