Meet the British group for the European Showjumping Championships 2023

With the advantage of Paris 2024 Olympic qualification already within the bag, Nice Britain’s showjumping chef d’equipe Di Lampard has had the posh of having the ability to subject an actual mixture of championship debutants and seasoned execs for this 12 months’s European Showjumping Championships in Milan, Italy (30 August-3 September). However there’s additionally the hope that Nice Britain’s showjumpers can proceed to construct on the excellent medal hauls of latest years. So who has been chosen for the British group for the 2023 European Showjumping Championships?

British group for the European Showjumping Championships 2023

Harry Charles and Casquo Blue

The youngest member of the British group on the European Showjumping Championships 2023, 24-year-old Harry Charles, is definitely one of the skilled riders on the British squad, actually with regards to championship mileage, and the world’s main under-25 rider has been to an Olympic Video games in addition to profitable group bronze on the world showjumping championships final 12 months, then using the nice Romeo 88.

For his first crack at a European Championships, Harry brings the Stall Zet-owned Casquo Blue, a 13-year-old son of Chacco-Blue x Carthago Z, who was bred by Paul Schockemohle. The gelding is taken care of and superbly turned out by Harry’s groom Georgia Ellwood. The pair jumped double clear to assist Nice Britain win the Nations Cup at Hickstead final month – his second consecutive faultless efficiency in that competitors – and the mixture have earned loads of five-star placings, proving their massive monitor talents. Nonetheless, Harry additionally has a direct reserve horse within the 12-year-old Aralyn Blue, who’s by the identical sire as Casquo Blue and owned by Ann Thompson. It absolutely can’t be lengthy earlier than this younger celebrity makes it onto the person podium.

Tim Gredley and Medoc De Toxandria

The king of comebacks, it’s been 17 years since 37-year-old father of two Tim Gredley final rode at a championship, having retired from the game for a number of years to work in his household enterprise. However he’s again within the British group for the European Showjumping Championships 2023 and using in the very best type of his life, already proving an actual group asset on this season’s five-star Nations Cups with the 11-year-old 16.2hh gelding Medoc De Toxandria (Der Senaat III x Kelvin De Sainte Hermelle, bred by Werner Dierckx), who he’s been using for the previous 12 months (pictured beneath).

Amongst their group highlights have been victory on residence soil at Hickstead and the second-placed end in Aachen. Medoc is taken care of by groom Paul Drew and is owned by the Unex Competitors Yard. He was sourced for Tim by Hickstead Derby winner David Simpson, however earlier riders additionally embrace Trevor Breen and Man Williams.

“Medoc wasn’t the obvious horse to purchase, however one of many issues I take pleasure in and possibly I’m good at, is choosing horses – and possibly not selecting the obvious ones,” says Tim. “I’d say Medoc is exclusive! Now I’ve acquired to know him, I discover him simple, however he has a particular means of doing issues – he’s simply all the time on his forehand. So he could be a bit unorthodox, however what he lacks there, he provides you in confidence and that’s in all probability why we’re an excellent mixture. He finds it really easy and he enjoys life.”

Tim’s return to the British group fold has been his ambition since returning to the game and he says he’s “loving each minute”.

Tim Gredley’s European Showjumping Championship companion, Medoc De Toxandria, an 11-year-old son of Der Senaat III, who Tim purchased from David Simpson final 12 months.

Sam Hutton and Oak Grove’s Laith

Belgium-based British showjumper Sam Hutton can be making his senior championship debut with 12-year-old stallion Oak Grove’s Laith, owned by the Caramello Firm and taken care of by groom Lindsay Decottignies. Sam, 34, is initially from Surrey and began using on the age of seven, forging a terrific profession within the sport. He moved abroad, coaching with Jan Tops in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands, however he has been primarily based with Abdel Stated in Belgium for the previous few years.

Oak Grove’s Laith, a London x Quaprice stallion who was bred by SCEA Riverland, twice certified for the world championships as a five-year-old and a seven-year-old earlier than Sam began using him 12 months in the past. The duo warmed up for Milan with two Nations Cup appearances, leaping clear rounds at each, simply parting firm unexpectedly in Dublin, however look simply the sort to excel in a championship surroundings.

Donald Whitaker and Di Caprio

No British showjumping group could be full with no Whitaker on board and 30-year-old Donald may even be making his championship debut as a part of the British group in Milan using Di Caprio. This pair have been a part of the Nations Cup-winning squad within the UAE final 12 months and have been in flying type since.

Like Ben Maher’s Faltic HB, the Holsteiner Diarado x Cassini I stallion, bred by Harms Carsten, was produced and beforehand owned by the Oakingham Stud in Nice Britain, leaping to nice success in younger horse courses – together with with Irish group member Eoin Gallagher. Germany-based Donald’s girlfriend Nicola Pohl first began using Di Caprio in 2020 earlier than Donald took over a 12 months later.

“He has every little thing to be an excellent horse,” says Donald of the stallion, who’s groomed by Ally Gill.

Ben Maher and Faltic HB

The reigning Olympic champion Ben Maher has proved an integral group member, serving to Nice Britain to group gold on the Olympics in 2012, group bronze and particular person fourth on the world championships in 2022 with Faltic HB and he already has 5 European medals to his title, together with particular person silver on Explosion W in 2019. He has returned from a severe shoulder damage and heads to Milan as one of many purple scorching favourites with the 13-year-old Baltic VDL x Concorde stallion, who was bred within the Netherlands by HA Brinkman and beforehand owned by the Oakingham Stud – once more produced within the fingers of Eire’s Eoin Gallagher – and now belongs to the Hertfordshire rider’s supporters Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright.

“Lots of people have been part of this horse’s profession they usually’ve performed an excellent job with him,” says Ben.

Groom Derren Lake takes care of Faltic HB and Ben has additionally nominated two mares, Dallas Vegas Batilly and Ginger-Blue, as his direct reserves for the British group on the European Showjumping Championships 2023.

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