The athletes are ready, the horses have passed trot-up and the draw has been made – Ireland’s senior eventers are primed for competition with the best Europe has to offer.
Dag Albert’s squad touched down in Blenheim Palace earlier this week for the Agria FEI Eventing European Championship after a stormy passage as high winds causing some logistical issues.
Tomorrow, however, the fun starts. Day one of the championship begins at 10am with the opening session of dressage and, after all of Ireland’s equine athletes passed first veterinary inspection, Albert and his squad of six are quietly confident of a positive result after a favourable draw which will see them compete last of the nine nations.
Robbie Kearns, Padraig McCarthy, Sarah Ennis, Aoife Clark, Ian Cassels and Susie Berry will, of course, face stiff opposition in the pursuit of medals, but Albert carries the air of a quietly confident team manager.
He said: “The horses are all in great order, we had no issues this afternoon in trot-up, and everyone is raring to go.
“It’s an experienced squad we have here and all six of them will play a major role in what we hope is a successful weekend.
“We have Olympians and Nations Cup winners in the team and the horses have all been in great form – obviously you look at the likes of the two big guns, Britain and Germany – you would have to say they’re favourites but I’m very happy with where we are at the moment.
“Hopefully we can be within touching distance after dressage because I think the course Mark Phillips has built a cross country that will suit our combinations and we’re now just looking forward to getting going.”
Of the sextet, Albert has chosen McCarthy with Pomp ‘N’ Circumstance, Kearns with Chance Encounter (ISH), Cassels with Millridge Atlantis (ISH) and Clark with Full Monty De Lacense as the four who will compete in the team event, with Ennis and Dourough Ferro Class Act (ISH) and Berry with Clever Trick (ISH) as individuals.
Albert added: “It might be four in the team event but Sarah and Susie will be very much there as part of the squad to help the four, and the four team members will likewise be offering their support and advice to Sarah and Susie.
“Everyone is very excited and we feel the conditions and the draw will be in our favour – we won’t mind if there’s mud flying and being drawn last will give us an opportunity to weigh up what exactly will be needed as the competition progresses. We’ll be giving it our best shot!”
Dressage times for Irish athletes at the FEI Eventing European Championship:
- Padraig McCarthy with Pomp ‘N’ Circumstance – Thursday at 11.50am
- Sarah Ennis with Dourough Ferro Class Act (ISH) – Thursday at 11.57am
- Robbie Kearns with Chance Encounter (ISH) – Thursday at 3.47pm
- Aoife Clark with Full Monty De Lacense – Friday at 12.27pm
- Susie Berry with Clever Trick (ISH) – Friday at 2.30pm
- Ian Cassels with Millridge Atlantis (ISH) – Friday at 4.22pm