Coup De Coeur out of Europeans
Leslie Law will ride his Olympic gold medal partner Shear L’Eau in the British team for the FEI Blenheim Petplan European Eventing Championships, following a minor injury to his planned ride Coup de Coeur.
“It is a shame Coup de Coeur is not going [to Blenheim],” Leslie told HHO. “I only took over the ride 12 months ago and he is an exciting prospect. He finished third at Lexington this spring, which was his first four-star three-day event.
“Having said that I am extremely lucky to be able to replace him with the horse I won a gold medal on.”
Coup de Coeur will under go further veterinary investigation to establish the type and extent of his injury. Shear L’Eau was due to compete at Burghley, but has now been withdrawn.
“Shear L’Eau is a very different character to Coup de Coeur,” explains Leslie, “Shear L’Eau is much more on the ball. Coup de Coeur is a little more laid back, while Shear L’Eau doesn’t miss a trick.”
Shear L’Eau’s final run before the Europeans was in the British Open Championships at Gatcombe at the beginning of August where the 13yo finished fourth. The grey gelding appears to have fully recovered from his fall at the Vicarage Vee at Badminton in the spring and looks on form for a good performance at Blenheim.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.