Sarah Bullimore achieved a clear round today in the European Eventing Championships showjumping to move up from fifth overnight and take the individual bronze on her home-bred Corouet.
The British rider said: “I feel emotional – it’s been quite a rollercoaster. Just to even get here [to a championship] has taken me 10 years. I’ve been on the reserve list all those years and to finally actually be picked straight out is a major, major thing.
“The last time I rode at the Europeans was on his mother [Lilly Corinne], so it’s really special.”
Sarah and Corouet – who belongs to his rider, her husband Brett and the Kew Jumping Syndicate – added just 0.8 of a time-penalty across country to their dressage score, which left them fifth after the first phase. They held that place going into today’s European Eventing Championships showjumping.
Talking about whether the week had exceeded her own expectations, Sarah said: “It sounds cocky, but I had a really good feeling about him coming here and he was on great form.
“I was extremely nervous on cross-country morning because I was thinking if I make a mess of it today, it will take another 10 years for me to get back here again, so that was a big relief. But today I was actually really remarkably calm and he is a fab showjumper – he’s fab at everything.
“I’m just chuffed for him and his owners – he’s owned by a lovely syndicate, the Kew Jumping Syndicate. Sadly, a couple of the members couldn’t so this is for them too. It’s been a fabulous week.”
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