Ros Canter, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett on their victory lap at the Paris 2024 Olympics. All three members of the gold medal-winning team feature among the entries for the 2026 World Championships.
The British eventing squad shortlist for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen (11 to 23 August) has been revealed, including the gold medal-winning team from Paris 2024.
The 15-strong nominated entries list for this year’s eventing worlds is brimming with talent. The golden gang from Paris – triple Badminton winners Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, reigning European champions Laura Collett and London 52 and multiple medal-winning duo Tom McEwen and JL Dublin – are the stand-out favourites for spots on the squad of five.
Each championship has its own flavour and context within the overall eventing landscape. This year’s worlds is a heavyweight in its own right, and is also the first chance to bag that all-important team ticket for the LA28 Olympic Games. Medals and Olympic qualification are the twin boxes at the forefront of selectors’ minds as they weigh up who to take to Germany.
Strong cases can be made for all in the chasing pack. H&H eventing editor Pippa Roome shared her predictions for the squad in her post-Bramham column. Since then, Caroline Harris and D.Day have added a second five-star to their CV with their Luhmuhlen success. It’s an enviable position for Britain to be in; questioning whether two five-star wins is enough as selectors piece together the diamond jigsaw they are faced with.
The selection panel is made up of independent non-voting chair Graeme McPherson, plus selectors Mark Phillips, Sarah Bullen and Nigel Taylor. Others involved in the performance side of things are also present at meetings, for example the team vet, eventing high performance coach Chris Bartle and performance manager Dickie Waygood.
According to the British Equestrian selection policy, they take into account the results at major competitions, and also aspects such as the difficulty of certain courses, how competitive a competition was and results at events with “field of play similarities” to a championships.
Alongside past form, the big chances to stand out were at the spring four- and five-stars. We may see some having a run between now and Aachen for final tune-ups, depending on what competitors feel is best for each horse. There are many roads to a championship and it’s still more than six weeks until the first event horse will head down the centre line.
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The next key date is 27 July, the deadline for definite entries – the final squad (bar injury or illness).
British eventing squad shortlist for the 2026 Aachen World Championships
The full list, in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:
Sarah Bullimorewith 10-year-old gelding Corimiro
Owner: Sarah’s husband Brett Bullimore, Christopher Gillespie, Susan Gillespie and Bruce Saint
Breeder: Brett and Sarah Bullimore
Breeding: by Amiro Z, out of a mare by Lovis Corinth
Ros Canter with 14-year-old Lordships Graffalo
Owner: Archie and Michele Saul
Breeder: Lordships Stud and Pennie Wallace
Breeding: by Birkhof’s Grafenstolz TSF, out of a mare by Rock King
Laura Collett with 17-year-old gelding London 52
Owner: Karen Bartlett, Keith Scott and rider
Breeder: Ocke Riewarts
Breeding: by Landos, out of a mare by Quinar
David Doel with 15-year-old gelding Galileo Nieuwmoed
Owner: Mary Fox, Gillian Jonas and rider
Breeder: JW and A P Jurrius
Breeding: by Carambole, out of a mare by Harcos
Caroline Harris and 12-year-old gelding D. Day
Owner: Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier, Marie Anne Richards and Heather Royle
Breeder: Fiona Olivier
Breeding: by Billy Mexico, out of a mare by Dilum XX
Yasmin Ingham with 10-year-old mare Gypsie Du Loir
Owner: Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund
Breeder: Pierre Gouye
Breeding: by Herald 3, out of a mare by Canaletto
Tom Jackson with 10-year-old gelding United 36
Owner: Michael Stenning
Breeder: Heinrich Bohmke
Breeding: by Ucello, out of a mare by Espiri
Katie Magee with 12-year-old gelding Treworra
Owner: Angela Hislop
Breeder: Preci Spark Ltd
Breeding: by Jaguar Mail, out of a mare by Tower of Magic
Tom McEwen with 17-year-old gelding Brookfield Quality
Owner: John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn
Breeder: Sean Kelly
Breeding: by OBOS Quality, out of a mare by Cavalier Royale
Tom McEwen with 15-year-old gelding JL Dublin
Owner: James and Jo Lambert and Deirdre Johnston
Breeder: Volker Göttsche-Götze
Breeding: by Diarado, out of a mare by Cantano
Harry Meade with 16-year-old mare Cavalier Crystal
Owner: Charlotte and Peter Opperman
Breeder: Thomas Horgan
Breeding: by Jack Of Diamonds, out of a mare by Cavalier Royale
Selina Milnes with 12-year-old gelding Cooley Snapchat
Owner: Angela and William Rucker
Breeder: Alan Wheeler
Breeding: by Kannan, out of a mare by VDL Arkansas
Gemma Stevens with 10-year-old gelding Cooley Park Muze
Owner: The Rex Syndicate
Breeder: TJM Equestrian
Breeding: by Pollux De Muze Z, out of a mare by L’Arc De Triomphe
Gemma Stevens with 14-year-old gelding Flash Cooley
Owner: Pru Dawes
Breeder: Jim O’Neill
Breeding: by CSF Mr Kroon, out of a mare by OBOS Quality
Bubby Upton with 11-year-old gelding Its Cooley Time
Owner: Susan de Zulueta, Jane Dear, Susie Holland-Bosworth, The Duchess of Norfolk, Hilary Russell and rider
Breeder: Ishennisnag Stud
Breeding: by Quality Time TN, out of a mare by Heartbreaker
A British Equestrian spokesperson said selection decisions are subject to the athlete and horse maintaining fitness and performance, and that the selected squad of five combinations to travel to Aachen, plus non-travelling reserves, will be announced at a later date.
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
