Cameron Hanley had his first taste of a world championship arena when he rode Waldo in yesterday's warm-up session at the World Equestrian Games, but the 25-year-old Co Mayo jockey will be sitting on the subs bench for the rest of the week, watching his compatriots battle it out for the medals in Rome's Stadio Flaminio.

Hanley's horse, which was lame at Monday's initial trot-up, was sound when re-inspected early yesterday morning and was given the go-ahead to jump in the warm-up. But chef d'equipe Tommy Wade has named Captain John Ledingham, Erik Holstein, Trevor Coyle and Peter Charles as his quartet for today's speed class which forms the first leg of the championships.

Unfortunately, Ireland has been drawn to go first of the 19 teams, and the order will be retained for tomorrow's team decider.

Ledingham and Coyle also availed of the opportunity to acclimatise their horses to the unfamiliar surroundings and, although Kilbaha and Cruising both jumped well in the sand arena, a thunderstorm and torrential rain did not make it a pleasant experience.

Peter Charles, who only arrived in Rome yesterday morning after travelling on from the German fixture in Bremen where he won the Grand Prix on Sunday night, took advantage of a break in the weather to ride Traxdata T'Aime in the arena. But, just as Erik Holstein had done earlier, Charles merely trotted the horse around, preferring to save the French gelding's energy for the competition proper.

The majority of the other 111 horses entered in the championships were jumped yesterday, with the sand arena holding up well under an almost constant bombardment from the heavens.

Britain's George Bowman, silver medallist at three of the last world four-in-hand driving championships and one of the favourites to take gold here this week, will have to re-present one of his horses tomorrow morning after Bob was one of three to be deemed lame at yesterday's trot-up.

But it may all become academic if the appalling weather conditions continue.

It is expected that the two days of dressage will go ahead as planned today and tomorrow, with the sole Irish representative Viscount Petersham due in the arena at 11.24 this morning.