Pony European Championships dressage

Britain’s European pony dressage team are on track for a bronze medal if they keep up the form shown in yesterday’s preliminary tests at Freudenberg, Germany.

Britain lay third in the warm-up competition, behind Germany (who filled the top four places) and The Netherlands. But the Danish team are perilously close, with two of their riders going ahead of all four Brits yesterday.

Emily Harris, 16, was best of the British riding the 11-year-old stallion by Dressman, Don Joshi. The pair scored 68.15% for 11th place. Teammates Alexandria Barr (De Vito), Olivia Kuropatwa (Kastanienhof’s Vitus) and Alice Thompson (Donnerblitz) filled 13th to 15th places respectively.

Today the riders have a rest before the team competition on Friday (20 July), followed by the individual and freestyle on Saturday (21 July) and Sunday (22 July).

See Horse&Hound magazine 2 August for a full report and pictures from the pony European Championships in dressage, eventing and show jumping

Sarah Jenkins

H&H editor-in-chief

Sarah has more than 20 years experience as an equestrian journalist and editor. She has reported from major championships including the Europeans and the World Equestrian Games. She has co-written books on equestrianism including The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. Sarah has ridden since childhood, owned horses and ponies for over 25 years, and worked for and trained with Olympic gold medallist event rider Leslie Law prior to going to university.