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‘One of the sport’s greatest stories’: brand new combination spearhead Britain’s fab five heading to the showjumping World Championships
H&H’s showjumping editor runs through the new partnerships and team stalwarts lining up for Great Britain after selectors revealed their picks for the World Championships
This terrific trio have formed the backbone of countless teams in recent years but the Paris 2024 heroes all bring different horses to this year’s championships.
Scott Brash has an enviable string to choose from and he's picked the stunningly beautiful and uber-talented Hello Mango over his gold medal-winning partner Hello Jefferson and dual European silver medallist Hello Folie, who will act as Scott’s direct reserves. Since Scott's championship debut in 2010 on Intertoy Z, the ice-cool Scotsman has developed into a phenomenal team stalwart but he will also be bidding for a first individual gold medal.
The former Olympic champion Ben Maher travels to Aachen with Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s 12-year-old stallion Point Break, but with Catelly and Enjeu Du Grisien as top quality back-up.
Harry Charles’ world championship selection with brand new ride, LT Holst Freda is one of the sport’s greatest stories. Just three months ago, the world championships seemed a distant pipe dream for 26-year-old Harry after he stepped away from top-level sport to rebuild his string of horses.
Twelve-year-old mare Freda was bought just three months ago after she contested this year’s World Cup Final with New Zealand rider Julie Davey, initially for Harry’s wife Eve to ride. But Harry fell in love with the mare and at just their third show together in June, the pair helped Great Britain win the Longines League of Nations (LLN) in Rotterdam with a double clear followed by a spectacular jump-off performance. It’s not often you’ll see such a new partnership competing for a world title but Harry and Freda are clearly the perfect match.
Adrian Whiteway will make his championship debut in Aachen
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Aachen will be a championship debut for 35-year-old Adrian Whiteway and his clear round machine Chacco Volo, with the pair having delivered a string of faultless performances on Nations Cup teams in recent years, just succumbing to the odd time fault along the way although those are becoming increasingly rare nowadays. The pair’s exceptional double clear in the Rome Nations Cup in May marked them as serious contenders.
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It’s not often riders end up with a horse of the same name, but commentators will be able to have a lot of fun with our final combination on Great Britain’s five-man squad, Jack and Jack. Jack Whitaker first teamed up with Jack JL – the third grey on the squad – last season, but they’ve quickly come to prominence, firstly as part of the winning LLN team in St Tropez last year, with plenty more eye-catching five-star rounds now under their belts.
It’s now up to chef d’equipe Di Lampard and assistant Stanny van Paesschen to reveal which of this quintet will form the final four at the showjumping World Championships in Aachen next month.
Waiting in the wings on Great Britain’s reserve list are Joe Stockdale (Ebanking), who was part of the bronze medal-winning team at the last world championships in 2022, plus Tim Gredley (Medoc De Toxandria) and Jessica Mendoza with Summerhouse.
British team for showjumping World Championships 2026
Scott Brash, 40, with 11-year-old mare Hello Mango (Untouchable 27 x Numero Uno) Owners: Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham Breeder: HPH Vaessen Groom: David Honnet
Harry Charles, 26, with 12-year-old mare LT Holst Freda (Colman x Casall Ask) Owners: rider and Eve Jobs Breeder: E Mackintosh Groom: Georgia Ellwood
Ben Maher, 43, with 12-year-old stallion Point Break (Action-Breaker x Baloubet Du Rouet) Owners: Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright Breeder: Nya Äppelvikens Ridskola Groom: Gwen Bellamy
Jack Whitaker, 24, with Jack JL (Bessemeind’s Quasimodo Z x Astrello) Owner: Candice Reilly Breeder: JE Lammerts-Weide Groom: Paul Collier
Adrian Whiteway, 25, with 13-year-old stallion Chacco Volo (Chacco-Blue x Cathago) Owner: Deborah Cox Breeder: Gestut Lewitz Groom: Rhi Watson
Reserves in alphabetical order
Tim Gredley, 40, with 14-year-old gelding Medoc De Toxandria (Der Senaat III x Kelvin De Sainte Hermelle) Owners: Rachel Gredley, William Gredley and Unex Competition Yard Breeder: Werner Dierckx)
Jessica Mendoza, 30, with 11-year-old gelding Summerhouse (Induparts Guidam Sohn x VDL Indoctro) Owners: Pernilla Amman, Georgia Kipp, Kristi Mitchem, Melissa Skowlund and rider Breeder: C Den Boer
Joe Stockdale, 26, with 12-year-old stallion Ebanking (Etoulon x Aranebel) Owners: Barbara Hester and Laura Stockdale Breeder: E Vriend
These definite entries for the British Equestrian jumping team are announced in collaboration with British Showjumping and World Class Programme principal partner Agria.
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
