British jumping quartet secure silver in Spain
Friday 18 July 2025
Team final day at any championship is always a tense affair and, with little to separate the top 10 teams, the FEI Longines FEI Jumping European Championship 2025 at Casas Novas in A Coruña, Spain was going to come down to the wire. The British quartet started the day with the narrowest of leads over Germany and Belgium and it was clear that the pressure would build throughout the day, with nations running in reverse order of merit.
The course today, designed once again by Santiago Varela Ullastres, was much more twisty than we’d seen so far and had a few more options in terms of striding, meaning the riders had to make clear plans. After the first few had been, it seemed the time allowed was fair – with a forward rhythm, they wouldn’t have to chase the clock but, with the fences set up to a maximum 1.60m, there was still plenty of jump.
Jessica Mendoza and In The Air
Today’s first group of riders to tackle the course were those placed within the top 50, but riding as individuals. For Britain, this was Jess Mendoza with Georgia Kipp, Kirsti Mitchem, Melissa Skowlund, Pernilla Amman and her own In The Air, who had made a determined march up the leaderboard to 29th after Thursday’s fantastic clear round. Today’s plan was, simply, more of the same.
They set off assuredly and the scopey mare – who Jess describes as having a cat-like personality – just purred around the course, expertly guided by her rider. She gave each fence plenty of room and never looked like touching anything, giving her absolute all for Jess. It was clear all the way.
“She was amazing – honestly, every round, she’s jumping better and better. I didn’t walk in there knowing 100% that I’d get a clear, but I think she did. She made it easy!” said Jess.
“Today’s course is a bit more technical because you have options. Yesterday, the numbers were the numbers. Today, you can improvise a bit, which I did – I was meant to do the four strides up at the top and I did five, which slowed me down and I had to keep moving. There are a lot of choices out there.
“The time is tight enough. It’s come down a lot since yesterday – yesterday, I knew I could go around to the wall but, today, I knew it was tight. Because I was on one more stride everywhere, I knew I’d be right on the cusp, which is why, when I landed steep over the third last, I could have done an eight, but I had to stick to the seven because I knew the time was tight there,” she went on to explain.
“I couldn’t have asked any more of her, so what happens now happens. I think I’ll be on Sunday, but it depends how many clear rounds there’ll be to see how far down I am. I think it’s relatively within a fence,” she said optimistically.
Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly
Performance Manager Di Lampard decided to stick with the running order of the team after yesterday’s sterling effort, meaning that Ben Maher stayed in his favoured pathfinder role. With Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s Dallas Vegas Batilly, Ben cantered into the arena as the final rider in the first team rotation, knowing that those from nearest rivals Belgium and Germany had gone clear. Ben had already got his day off to a great start by taking a win in the morning’s CSI3* Grupo Eulen class with Jane Forbes Clark’s Ginger-Blue. In jumping, riding with confidence always gives you that edge and Ben’s levels were running high, but he knew that, as pathfinder, the pressure was on to deliver a clear to get the team’s campaign off to a flyer.
After the best part of four years campaigning together at the top level, Ben and ‘Tilly’ are the epitome of a jumping partnership – trust, belief and harmony, which shone bright as ever today as they produced a round straight out of the jumping manual. Every fence was met bang on target and duly cleared – just pure class. Britain had the start they wanted.
A very happy Ben said; “The course today was a little bit more testing. There were a few options with the strides and it was a little bit twisty, which isn't always the best type of course for Tilly to get her in the rhythm. But she jumped the first four or five jumps and she felt really on form and with me, which gave me good confidence. She jumped out really, really well and it’s great start for the team.
He went on to explain, “The line from the triple bar to the combination was quite a hard line for her, so I'm proud of her. She's an experienced horse, but she’s also a mare She can be a little opinionated and she saw down that line, with the gold poles all the way down and the plank in the middle, which can be a slightly weird illusion. So, I think it's just nice just to show her, like I did yesterday with the wall – I always do that because it's important that she's settled when we go in and then, when I set off, that she's focused and with me.”
Matt Sampson and Medoc de Toxandria
Sheffield’s Matt Sampson went through the emotional mill in yesterday’s second round. A clear on day one gave him the dream start to his maiden championship but, yesterday, was brought down to earth when his ride, Medoc de Toxandria, owned by Rachel Gredley, William Gredley and Unex Competition Yard Ltd, uncharacteristically had two refusals at the tricky treble combination after losing some confidence on the first attempt.
Team vet Tim Randle and equine physiotherapist Kim Manktelow gave ‘Medoc’ a good check over last night and this morning to make sure there were no issues and Matt rode him early to check he was feeling happy in himself. He was dully given a clean bill of health to resume his team duties.
Matt has been riding the Der Sanaat-sired gelding for only a matter of months while his regular partner, Tim Gredley, takes some time out and they’ve quickly formed a good partnership. However, could they regroup after yesterday’s set-back? They set off well and made light work of the first few fences, clearing them with ease. As they turned across the arena to take the line across the diagonal, it was looking positive. It was over the oxer and then a related distance to a tricky, airy treble with just one stride between each element. They cleared the first element, but Medoc’s confidence took a wobble and just couldn’t get him over the second. Matt circled out, gave him a big pat and picked up canter for a second attempt. You could feel the entire crown willing them on as Matt determinedly approached – they went up over fence one, stride, over fence two, stride and up over the final part. They’d got through on their second attempt, but it was eight to add for the fence down and refusal, with the clock still ticking away. Matt skilfully guided Medoc around the remainder of course fault-free, but it was another six time faults to add to the eight for afinal tally of 14 towards the team score.
“Medoc jumped amazing again. Obviously, we had a little hiccup the first time in the triple combination and I think that was really, honestly, coming to yesterday. I had the feeling that he really wanted to jump it, honestly, and that's why I came back the second time, and I think he proved what an amazing horse is,” reflected Matt.
“There aren’t many horses that can lose confidence like that, you know, in a certain fence, and the rider a little bit, and come back from it. But I put my leg on and said, ‘Come on boy, we can do it’ and he said, ‘Okay’. And he just jumped it.
“I think he jumped it better than you could ever want a horse to jump it the second time, so I'm disappointed with the score, but very proud of the horse. It's difficult situation to be in, especially in a championship like this,” he said.
Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette
As we entered the third rotation of riders, the pressure cooker temperature dial was turned up when clear round after clear round was produced. This meant that it was still tooth and nail with the German, Belgian and British teams for the team honours, with every added penalty counting against medal hopes.
Donald Whitaker has had two incredible rounds so far this week with Reitsportanlage Dagobertshausen GmbH and his own Millfield Colette, which had not only buoyed their confidence, but also left them second overall as individuals. However, the target was clear – Britain needed a clear to keep a hand on that gold medal.
Millfield Colette is a mare who knows how she wants to go and Donald has to ride her sympathetically to control the incredible power she has. They were looking in good stead over the first three quarters of the course – jumping well, with the mare in full charge, but Donald always there to guide her. As they rode the dog leg to the final line, the Longines double to the FEI plank, it looked as though another clear could be on the cards. They came in a forward five strides and popped over the first part, with Donald then elected for a careful eight strides to the second part out. Despite taking every care, Millfield Colette just couldn’t quite get her bodyweight back enough and jumped a little flat, taking down the front and back bars. However, they recovered perfectly for the related distance to the final fence and cleared that to bring it home with just four to add.
"If you’d said we’d get a silver medal before I came here, one million percent I would have taken it,” said a rueful Donald afterwards. “It’s just a little bit bittersweet. I feel like I made a bit of an error. Colette jumped her heart out again, but I think I maybe made a bit of a mess of that line.
“It was just a decision I made. It was the plan I wanted to do but, obviously, after executing that, I don’t think it was the right thing. I wanted to go eight and it might have been a bit easier, but that actually took the momentum off her a bit and she had to try a bit harder to come out, whereas maybe seven probably would have been a bit better.
“How she jumped, I probably would have said it was perfect. So, it’s still difficult to take – we probably would have won if I’d jumped it, but a silver medal is fantastic and I’m delighted."
Scott Brash and Hello Folie
Going into the final rotation, there was still all to play for – tight scores meant that a single fence down could send nations tumbling down the leaderboard. A clear round for Darragh Kenny and Eddy Blue meant that fourth-placed Ireland were waiting in the wings, ready to capitalise on any problems from the top three teams and step onto the podium. Next up was Belgium who had leap-frogged into gold medal position. Gilles Thomas might be at his first championship, but he and Ermitage Kalone looked every inch the professionals as they brought home their third clear round of the week to secure the top spot on the podium for the Belgians with an uncatchable team total of 5.61 penalties.
Last in for Germany was Richard Vogel and United Touch S, who also held the top spot in the individual leaderboard. Once again, they proved why they’re considered one of the best combinations in the world, producing a classy clear round to hold the Germans to a final tally of 8.19 – this meant that Great Britain had to jump clear to stay ahead of them in silver.
This is a position that final rider, both for his team and in the competition as a whole, Scott Brash is not unfamiliar with – he was also last into the arena in the team final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, when only a clear round would secure Team GB the gold medal. However, that was with his seasoned campaigner Hello Jefferson. This week, he’s here with the precocious but inexperienced Hello Folie, owned by long-term supporters Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham. The 10-year-old Luidam-sired mare, who only stepped up to CSI5* level earlier this year, has impressed over the past few days with her scope and talent – particularly after the now viral moment yesterday, when she took charge through a tricky treble combination after Scott lost his reins – but would she have enough petrol left in the tank to overcome the technicality of today’s course?
The pair set off, with Folie looking her usual feisty self. They gave the first few fences plenty of air, with Scott needing to remind the chestnut mare on a few occasions that he was in charge of setting the pace. However, she soon settled into the job at hand and put that enthusiasm to good use, flying around the course with a precision that belies her relative inexperience. There were no issues through the tricky line from the triple bar into the treble combination, then it was just the final few fences to go.
There are many who might have crumbled under the pressure at this point, but Scott Brash is never going to be one of them. Icy cool as ever, he pointed the mare down the final line and revved the engine, with Folie rising to the challenge. They cleared the last with inches to spare, bagging the team silver and putting themselves into the number two spot heading into Sunday’s individual final. It was then a matter of giving Folie a big pat and exiting the arena on a long rein, almost as if they’d just completed a local Pony Club track, while the British supporters on the kiss and cry celebrated in exuberant fashion.
“I’m delighted. Folie was incredible today, and I’m very happy for the team – the guys were great,” said a relieved Scott afterwards.
“You’ve just got to focus on your job and try to beat the course, do the right things for your horse, stay cool and do the best you can. Folie’s quick, she’s feisty and she wants to get on with the job, so it can make it challenging at times, but she tries very hard when she gets there. I have to try to visualise what she’s going to do around the course.
“I’m very happy with where she’s at – she’s jumped three brilliant days here and hasn’t touched a fence, so I’m delighted.”
Asked about his feelings on the team effort as a whole, he commented: “Ben did an incredible job again. Sometimes, people expect it from him because he’s been so consistent, so good, over the years, but I thought he really rode Dallas fantastically today and yesterday. Matt had the hiccup yesterday, which didn’t really help for today, but he regrouped well and still put a score on the board. He’s a great team man – he’s great to have around and his time will come, but it’s great he’s got a medal. He deserves it because he works hard and he’s going to be there for the future. Donald did a fantastic job all week. I was riding when he was on, so only saw the screen, but that was just a shame. We were very close and just very unlucky really. He’s still in a very good place and a really fantastic championship rider. It’s been a great team, with great team spirit, and we’re all delighted.”
Gold goes to Belgium, it’s a silver for the Brits and Germany complete the podium
A final take on the week’s efforts to secure silver for the British Equestrian Jumping Team, in partnership with Agria, has to go with Performance Manager extraordinaire, Di Lampard, “It’s been an unbelievable week. Actually, I felt the pressure was on from being in front. I think it’s almost worse because it’s a position we’ve always wanted to be in and we found ourselves there. But, holding on to that takes its toll over the three days and, unfortunately, with Medoc having his blip, it set us back. The team are fantastic, though. They fought well together.
“Jess has been an absolute star as an individual and she’s in the running for the individuals, so the five of them have been absolutely amazing. I couldn’t be more pleased that we’ve got a silver medal from the Europeans for the two newbies – that’s what this year is about.
“When his horse stopped, Matt looked at the kiss and cry and Scott and I shouted ‘Go again, get him through it!’ And he set off, and, my goodness, he got him through it. I think it was unfortunate for him that Medoc just touched the back bar and it put him off, worried him, because he was going amazing.
“I couldn’t wish for a better rider to go first than Ben, and for Scott to go fourth to secure things – having them together is absolutely amazing,” she said proudly.
Today marks Great Britain’s 15th FEI Jumping European Championship appearance since the team event was introduced in 1975, now winning five golds, six silvers, and four bronze medals. It’s the second time Belgium has taken the title, having last one in Rotterdam in 2019.
Final team placings:
Gold Belgium 5.61
Silver Great Britain 7.96
Bronze Germany 8.19
4. Ireland 12.39
5. Switzerland 15.10
Who will take the individual title?
Tomorrow (Saturday) is a rest day for the championship, before the finale for individual honours on Sunday, when the top 25 combinations come forward for the first round. The 12 best-placed from that will jump again in the final medal decider. Four of the British squad make it through to contest the first round, with Jess Mendoza again making a significant leap up the leaderboard after landing in 45th position on Wednesday.
British individual placings:
2nd Scott Brash and Hello Folie 1.08
8th Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly 2.35
16th Jess Mendoza and In the Air 4.55
18th Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette 4.67
The action starts at 13:00 UK time and you can tune in via FEI.TV, powered by ClipMyHorse.TV, with a subscription. All the start lists and results are available on the Longines Timing site. Everything you need to know about the British squad and how the competition will progress is available on our online Hub.
Report: British Equestrain
Image: Peter Nixon
