The attention of all showjumping fans will be on this week’s Longines FEI European Showjumping Championships in Spain. Following last year’s Paris Olympics, this next major championship in the calendar offers a wonderful opportunity for some new names, both human and equine, to shine alongside Olympic heroes and grand prix-winning superstars, but who will claim the European Showjumping Championship medals? Here’s how we think the competition will play out…
To stay up to date with all the news from the European Showjumping Championships as it happens, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website today from just £1. Our reporter Eleanor Jones will be on site in A Coruña throughout
Arriving in A Coruña as Olympic champions, Great Britain will be hoping to keep the gold medals flowing. The quintet of Ben Maher, Scott Brash, Jessica Mendoza, Donald Whitaker and Matt Sampson are all household names, but somewhat surprisingly this will be Matt’s senior championship debut at the age of 34.
The whole squad can draw on the wealth of experience that multi-Olympic gold medallists Ben and Scott bring, and with Di Lampard and Stanny van Paesschen at the helm, this side looks to be one of the favourites for a medal.
Ben had rich pickings from a high-calibre string of horses but after initially selecting Point Break, one of the best horses in the world right now, he has swapped to Dallas Vegas Batilly. This is the same switch that occurred prior to the Paris Olympics – and Britain won team gold. We look forward to seeing if Ben can add to his already sizeable individual medal collection, too.
Ireland’s chef d’equipe Michael Blake has drawn great praise for the way he’s managed his riders through the various Nations Cup series, offering rising stars opportunities at every level, and this is reflected in the diverse squad he fields in A Coruña – one that boasts all the credentials to go even better than the nation’s dazzling silver medal-winning performance of 2023.
Alongside big guns Denis Lynch, Darragh Kenny, Daniel Coyle and Bertram Allen is one of the sport’s leading young talents, 22-year-old Seamus Hughes Kennedy. He’s barely out of youth teams, where he was crowned European champion in 2023, but hopefully A Coruña will be the springboard to the big time.
Who else to watch at European Showjumping Championships?
Talking of rising stars, there are plenty more new names to have on your radar at this year’s championships, including 25-year-old French sensation Nina Mallevaey. But we’ll also be treated to a host of legends, from Marcus Ehning to the reigning Olympic champion Christian Kukuk and 2023 European champion Steve Guerdat.
With national pride at stake, there will be fierce competition between the other leading teams vying for a podium spot, with Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland always the ones to watch.
This year marks a changing of the guard for the Swedish side, however, with all-conquering riders such as Peder and Jens Fredricson, Henrik von Eckermann and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson notable by their absence. Instead, A Coruña offers a career-defining opportunity for a different batch of riders, including British-based Angelie Von Essen, and this new-look squad could still make a big impact.
Underdogs Austria snatched a historic bronze medal at the 2023 European Championships, could they spring another surprise in 2025?
Whether you’re there in person, viewing from afar or simply keen to see who strikes gold, these championships look set once again to show the sport at its very best.
European Showjumping Championships individual medal favourites
Ben Maher
Initially selected with Point Break, the news broke on Monday that Ben would be riding his Paris Olympics mount Dallas Vegas Batilly instead. Dallas Vegas Batilly has been on fabulous form; she and Ben jumped double clear for Britain in the Aachen Nations Cup on 3 July, helping the team to third place and finishing fifth individually. They had also come third in the 1.60m Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe on 2 July.
Martin Fuchs
The current world number seven is master of the big occasion, securing several championship medals in recent years; though his luck ran out at the 2024 Olympics when he lost a stirrup. He was crowned European champion in 2019 on Clooney and this year he brings the 14-year-old Conner Jei, one of the most consistent five-star performers.
Richard Vogel
His great partner, the 13-year-old stallion United Touch S, is one of the most popular horses on the circuit and an absolute joy to watch. The German 28-year-old rider is ranked number nine in the world and his ascent to the top of the sport has been nothing short of meteoric. His championship debut came at the Paris Olympics but he’ll be making a bold bid in Spain for a first-ever first medal.
Steve Guerdat
The defending champion from Milan in 2023 is one of the most decorated riders in the sport, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the Swiss side. He produced an eye-catching double clear with the 11-year-old Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte in the five-star Nations Cup of La Baule last month, putting them spot on for their medal hopes in Spain.
Christian Kukuk
The reigning Olympic champion won gold with Checker 47 but has elected to ride the 11-year-old Just Be Gentle here. He describes the mare as a “strong character” but channelled in the right direction she has all the ability. The pair started the year in USA, winning the five-star grand prix of Ocala, Florida, but this will be the mare’s first big test in a championship environment.
Maikel van der Vleuten
With two Olympic bronze medals and a host of grand prix silverware in their cabinet, this Dutchman and his 15-year-old Beauville Z NOP are celebrated as one of the greatest jumping combinations of a generation. However, a gold medal has so far eluded them and this more-than-worthy duo surely deserve success in Spain.
Julien Epaillard
The zippy Frenchman made his name as one of the fastest riders on the circuit. But in recent years, that’s translated to team success and the now 47-year-old finally made his senior championship debut in 2022, winning individual bronze at the 2023 Europeans and agonisingly finishing fourth at his home Olympics in 2024. Expect Julien and Donatello D’Auge to make a dominant start in the opening speed class, which could put them in pole position once again for a spot on the podium.
European Showjumping Championship medal predictions
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
To stay up to date with all the news from the European Showjumping Championships as it happens, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website today from just £1. Our reporter Eleanor Jones will be on site in A Coruña throughout
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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.
