‘I cherish him every day’: London 52 completes Laura Collett’s set of team gold championship medals
The partnership have won team gold at the Olympics, Europeans and World Championships, alongside their individual medals
Laura Collett knows she “may never, ever find another horse like London 52”, who at the eventing World Championships added individual bronze and team gold to his impressive trophy cabinet.
The reigning European champions now have a full set of team gold medals from the European and World Championships, and the Olympics. Plus individual medals from all three. This result repeats what they achieved in Paris two years ago.
“I know I’ll never, ever have a horse like him again. I cherish him every day,” said Laura.
“He’s a horse of a lifetime, even just to go to the places he’s taken to me. To come away from here with two medals... I could never have dreamt 10 years ago when I bought him he would do half of what he’s achieved.”
How Laura Collett won bronze at the eventing World Championships
The pair went into showjumping in third place behind eventual gold and silver medallists Michael Jung and Ros Canter. Although Laura and London knocked down a rail at the water tray, two from home, they retained their position, a couple of penalties ahead of Will Coleman (Diabolo) in fourth.
London looked to be jumping with his customary zeal, giving the fences inches to spare. But – just as he had five years ago at the Tokyo Olympics – he suddenly spooked and launched at the fence, dropping the rail.
“I have no idea why he did what he did,” said Laura, who also added 0.4 of a time-fault. “He hadn’t done it before Tokyo and he hasn’t done it since. But it was basically a replica [of that moment].
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“He’s been faultless all week, and I’m just delighted it didn’t change the standings. We came here to win a team gold medal, and we’ve just done that and added a couple of extras for bonus.”
“We came here to win team gold – we’ve done that”
Laura collett
Laura was full of praise for the venue, viewed by many as the Mecca for equestrianism.
“I don’t think they need to look at any other venue for a World Championships,” she joked. “This place, on a normal year, feels like a World Championships, and then to bring an actual World Championships is just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“We were all hoping and praying we could make it here because we knew it would be something special, and to have the week we’ve had is pretty exciting.”
Rounding off the top six were France’s Gaspard Maksud (Zaragoza) in fifth, and 67-year-old Australian Andrew Hoy (Vassily De Lassos), sixth.
Eventing World Championship results: individual standings
Gold: Michael Jung / FischerChipmunk FRH (GER) – 23
Silver: Ros Canter / Lordships Graffalo (GBR) – 23.4
Bronze: Laura Collett / London 52 (GBR) – 28
4th: Will Coleman / Diabolo (USA) – 30
5th: Gaspard Maksud / Zaragoza (FRA) – 30.9
6th: Andrew Hoy / Vassily De Lassos (AUS) – 31.7
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.