British Showjumping squad announced for European Jumping Championships
Tuesday 30 August 2011
Following Rotterdam CSIO5* where Great Britain finished second in the Nations Cup, securing third overall in the FEI Nations Cup League, the Squad of five that will travel to Madrid, Spain for the Jumping European Championships is confirmed as:
· Scott Brash riding Mr Stanley Brash’s Intertoy Z
· Ben Maher riding Quainton Stud’s and his own Tripple X III
· Nick Skelton riding Mrs Beverley Widdowson’s Carlo
· John Whitaker riding Miss Rebecca Stones’s Peppermill
· Guy Williams riding his own Titus II
Unfortunately Talan (Robert Smith) and GIG Amai (Michael Whitaker) have had to be withdrawn due to minor injuries.
Chef d’Equipe for the Showjumping squad, Rob Hoekstra commented; “We are taking a strong team to Madrid, with a combination of the Nations Cups teams that won in Dublin and had a great result in Rotterdam. There’s a great mixture of young and experienced riders on the squad and it’s great to welcome Guy on board for his first Championships.”
World Class Performance Director, Will Connell commented; “This remains an exciting Squad; a combination of the Team that won in Dublin and was second in Rotterdam. All the horses are closely monitored by the team Vet who also works with the riders’ own vets; with the London 2012 Olympic Games the priority we do not want to put pressure on horses to compete at the Europeans when we will need them for next year. It would also be entirely accurate with this squad to say, for the riders, there is quite an age range; this is healthy for the future of the sport of Jumping in GBR.”
The selected riders are supported by the World Class Programme, which is generously supported by Lottery and Exchequer funding via UK Sport. The Programme incorporates both the Development and Performance Programmes and the Equine Pathway, and works closely with the three BEF Olympic Member Bodies, British Dressage, British Eventing and British Showjumping.
All the news and behind the scenes views in the run up to and during the European Championships can be found on both the British Showjumping and Equestrian Team GBR’s websites nearer the time. Visit www.britishshowjumping.co.uk and www.equestrianteamgbr.co.uk for more details.
The FEI European Jumping Championships take place in Madrid between the 13 – 18 September. For further information, competition timetable and ticket options please visit www.europeanjumping2011.com
