YOUNG Irish couple Jennifer Kuehnle and Cathal Daniels knocked local hero and four-time Olympic champion Michael Jung down to third place in the eventing Indoor Derby at the Stuttgart German Masters on Wednesday.

It was Kuehnle who claimed the spoils, riding the experienced Sammy Davis Junior, a 15-year-old gelding by Imperial Hights, owned by Mags Kinsella and Daniels and bred by Amanda Vogan. Going clear in 35.63 seconds at the end of the second phase, no-one could match the 22-year-old, not even her partner Daniels, who had led for much of the competition.

Daniels crossed the finishing line on his 17-year-old mare Rioghan Rua in a time of 37.06 seconds. Rioghan Rua is by Jack of Diamonds and is owned by her breeder, Mags Kinsella.

Kuehnle, who has a superb partnership with Sammy Davis Junior, came eighth in stunning company at the Lumuhlen five-star in June of this year. The veteran was formerly campaigned by Galwayman Daniels, who is now based in Kildare.

Incurring a three-second penalty with his nine-year-old gelding Ignatz H, Jung finished with a total time of 37.09 seconds, thus denying him a 10th win at the event.

Jung was, however, the recipient of another special prize at the event when Andreas Kroll, CEO of the Stuttgart Veranstaltungsgesellschaft, presented him and Isabell Werth with a special golden award for all their efforts in the sport.

Featuring eventing, driving, dressage and show jumping, the German Masters will run until Sunday with Sunday’s 1.60m five-star competition another high point of the week, with a start list including reigning Longines FEI Jumping World Cup champion Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden.