Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has announced the appointment of Sam Griffiths as its new High Performance Eventing Manager ahead of the FEI World Championships in Aachen and in the lead-up to the 2028 LA Olympic Games.
The Australian rider – who was born in Pearcedale, Victoria – contested the 2026 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, placing fourth individually and helping to secure a team bronze medal with mare Paulank Brockagh – with whom he also won Badminton in 2014 and contested the 2014 World Equestrian Games. Griffiths also contested the 2012 London Olympics with Happy Times.
In addition to his success in the saddle, Griffiths has built a strong reputation in high-performance leadership and programme management. He has held senior high performance roles within eventing, working closely with athletes, coaches and support teams to deliver sustainable success on the world stage.
His experience spans talent development, championship preparation and performance systems aligned with best international practice. He played an integral part in the redesign of New Zealand’s High Performance Eventing program along with the High Performance Director, while also serving as Head Coach to the New Zealand’s High Performance Eventing Team for over three years, including at the Paris Olympics in 2024, and also acted as Chef d’Equipe at various international events and in Nations Cups.
‘This is a strong period for Irish eventing…’
Griffiths is looking forward to working with Ireland’s eventing athletes and support network, saying via Horse Sport Ireland: “I’m really excited to be appointed as Horse Sport Ireland’s High Performance Eventing Manager. Ireland is a very strong equestrian nation with exceptional horses and riders so I’m hoping I can get the best out of everyone.
“This is a strong period for Irish eventing with some young combinations as well as the more established ones, and the European Championships was obviously a great result. Ireland is a nation very much on the up. I learned a lot throughout my riding career and also as head coach for New Zealand and I’m hoping to implement some of the philosophies I’ve honed along the way to this programme.
“I’m ambitious, we have the World Championships on the horizon, and we want to go well there. That’s also a stepping stone to the Olympics, with qualification to Los Angeles on offer and from there we have European Championships, but what I want is an Olympic medal, so let’s all pull in the same direction to get there.”
Irish connections
Griffiths also has an affinity with Ireland, having won Badminton with the Irish-bred mare Paulank Brockagh, bred in Co. Wicklow by Paula and Frank Cullen. He also has family in South Dublin and has a long-standing sponsorship arrangement with Horse Sport Ireland team sponsors, TRM.
He added: “I have an Irish connection, through Paulank Brockagh, bred by my friends Paula and Frank Cullen, and my cousin also lives in south Dublin who I see on a regular basis, so I definitely feel like there’s a bit of Ireland in me. It’s also been fantastic to be supported by TRM, who I know have been great supporters of the Horse Sport Ireland Youth programme for many years.
“It’s going to be an exciting time for Irish eventing, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Griffiths is also recognised for his contribution to panel discussions and forums focused on horse welfare, athlete accountability and transparency in the sport. He has been an active and respected voice in international conversations around safeguarding the welfare of the horse and strengthening trust and integrity within high-performance sport.
Read more: BROCKS THE WONDER MARE – Equestrian Life, June 2020
Horse Sport Ireland ‘delighted’ with appointment
Horse Sport Ireland Chief Executive Denis Duggan added: “We are delighted to welcome Sam Griffiths to Horse Sport Ireland as our new High Performance Eventing Manager.
“Sam brings an exceptional blend of elite competitive experience and proven high-performance management expertise. His understanding of what it takes to succeed at the very top of the sport, both as an athlete and as a leader, will be of enormous benefit to our eventing programme.”
Mr Duggan added: “This appointment follows a thorough and competitive RFT and interview process, and Sam stood out for his vision, technical knowledge and alignment with Horse Sport Ireland’s high-performance strategy. His commitment to horse welfare and to transparency within the sport reflects the values at the heart of Horse Sport Ireland’s high-performance system.”
He also paid tribute to the outgoing High Performance Eventing Manager: “I would like to sincerely thank Dag Albert for his commitment, professionalism and contribution to Irish eventing during his time with Horse Sport Ireland. Dag has played an important role in supporting our athletes and in strengthening the foundations of the High Performance Eventing Programme, and we wish him every success in the future.”
Source: Horse Sport Ireland, edited by EQ Life
