Latest from Horse & Hound in Eventing

If your horse thinks ditches are full of monsters, this expert advice will help build their confidence

Ellie Hughes — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:15:47 +0000

Of all the obstacles on a cross-country course, ditches – in their various forms – often cause the most angst. Some horses tackle them with aplomb from the get-go, but most need plenty of quiet repetition to develop their confidence. Olympians and top coaches Nicola Wilson, Chris Bartle and Andrew Heffernan share their tips in this article exclusive to H&H subscribers

Quiet, slow repetition is the key to how to solve your horse’s fear of ditches. To build – or rebuild – confidence in jumping ditches, it’s vital to start this part of his eventing training from scratch, says British team performance coach Chris Bartle. He explains that it is a mistake to ask a horse to tackle a ditch without giving him the opportunity to look at it first.

“With a young horse, or a horse that is nervous, I will always take them to the ditch with no intention of jumping it,” he says. “I will let them stand beside it and walk around it until they are comfortable in the environment.

“Only when I know they are happy about being there – they will stretch their head down and have a sniff – will I ask them to step over the ditch.

“The important thing to remember is that the horse must never be pressurised from behind, either by the rider or someone on the ground, because all that’s doing is encouraging him to think backwards rather than forwards.”

Initially, at least, ditches should be small enough so that human legs can easily step over them.

“I measure a ditch by whether I need to stretch over it on foot,” says Chris. “It doesn’t matter whether the horse is four, seven or 14, my approach will be the same. If a horse is hesitant I will spend all my cross-country schooling time walking quietly over tiny ditches.”

Chris argues that it’s not necessary to school over big ditches.

“If you’ve built solid foundations, these can be saved for competition when your adrenaline’s up,” he says.

How to solve your horse’s fear of ditches: “trust is everything”

When working on how to solve your horse’s fear of ditches, “confidence and trust is everything” says former European champion-turned-top coach, Nicola Wilson.

This starts with laying the right foundations and revisiting the basics on a regular basis.

“When you introduce a ditch for the first time make sure you’ve got a confident horse to give you a lead and choose an inviting ditch to start with,” she says.

Nicola also emphasises the importance of rider position.

“It’s important that you look in the right place – up, not down into the ditch,” she says. “A young or inexperienced horse will often look down into the ditch and dither on the edge. This is fine so long as you stay up in your body and have a nice, supportive leg on them and a long rein so they can stretch down, use their head and neck and safely pop over.

“It’s a really good idea to use a neck strap so you can hold the strap together with your reins in one hand,” she continues. “If your horse jumps bigger than you’re expecting you won’t lose balance and inadvertently catch him in the mouth, which can turn it into a negative experience.”

Nicola agrees that repetition is key.

“If your horse lacks confidence jumping ditches it’s important to keep revisiting them on a regular basis so that walking up to them and popping over becomes second nature,” says Nicola. “There are plenty of five-star horses who will do just this on the lead-up to a big competition, so it’s not something you should be worried about. The key is to be as prepared as possible.”

Nicola also extols the value of praise and patience.

“Tell your horse when he has done well because this helps build trust and solid foundations,” she says. “And always give ditch training time. Never start something that you don’t feel you can see through the end.”

Once your homework is done, testing your training in a competition environment is the next step.

“When you’re out on the course, make sure you stay in a good rhythm and balance, and in the correct tempo for the ditch fence you’re tackling,” says Nicola.

Icelandic ponies queueing up to jump a ditch in the wild – it comes quite naturally to most. (Image credit: Alamy)

When ditches are your friend

Once you have ironed out how to solve your horse’s fear of ditches and they are confidently moving up the eventing levels, most ditches will become a help rather than a hindrance.

“Where a ditch has a fence over it or behind it, the ditch itself acts as a useful ground rail, defining the take-off point,” explains Chris. “Big ditch-brushes, trakheners, and anything like that where the ditch ledge is on the take-off side, makes for a horse-friendly profile.”

Even though this four-star fence is daunting, the ditch provides a helpful groundline. (Image credit: Martin Dokoupil/ZUMA Wire/Alamy)

Chris explains that when riding this type of fence, you should resist the temptation to spend too much time much setting up.

“When I was a jockey, before I started eventing, a trainer once told me that you should always increase your speed into a ditch,” he says. “You will never get the wrong stride because there is a groundline. I always remind riders of this when I walk courses with them as it saves a lot of time.”

Ditches through a course-designer’s eyes

Course-designers use ditches in different ways. Olympic event rider, trainer and Bramham course-designer Andrew Heffernan explains that as well as the size of the ditch size, where it is sited will determine the level of the test.

“Part of my job as course-designer is to ensure there is a logical progression in difficulty as you go up the grades,” he explains. “For example, on a B80 course I might include a small open ditch followed three strides later by a rails fence, at BE90 this might change to a rail followed three strides later by a ditch. By the time you get to BE100 I might be asking horses to jump a simple rail-ditch-rail on flat terrain, and then at novice level you can start expecting to see a ditch with a bit of terrain either side.”

At the lower levels, ditches tend to be inviting, to encourage the horse to progress. (Image credit: Alamy)

This logical progression has obvious connotations for a horse who is a bit “ditchy”.

“Even if a horse is solid with every other type of cross-country question, he needs to be completely confident jumping ditches at one level before moving on to the next,” says Andrew. “The questions asked of him — and therefore the trust he needs in his rider — will be tested to a greater degree every time you step up.”

“We dug a ditch at home and that was the turning point”

Event rider Ivy Fisher’s talented three-star mare, Balief De Reve (Bali), only has one chink in her armour – ditches.

“When I bought her as a young horse she had only ever showjumped and although she quickly took to jumping solid fences, she’s always been suspicious of holes in the ground,” explained Ivy, who grew up in Norfolk but has been based with Dassett Eventing in Warwickshire.

“A few years ago, when I was on the brink of giving up with her, my dad dug me a ditch at home and that was the turning point. It was a case of repetition, repetition, repetition. The penny dropped in the middle of the 2024 season and she started to take them in her stride.”

The pair won the under-21 open intermediate at Kelsall Hill in September that year.

At her current base, Ivy has access to three different ditches and incorporates them into almost every training session.

“Last season I was even including them in our fitness work, popping over a ditch mid-canter,” she says. “We still have the odd wobble, but she’s getting better all the time. Bali’s taught me so much about perseverance, getting the basics right and about not running before you can walk.”

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‘Who gets the Aachen call-up for Britain?’ H&H eventing editor Pippa Roome shares her thoughts on the final five

Pippa Roome — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:32:18 +0000

H&H’s eventing editor and Aachen World Championships reporter Pippa Roome assesses the line-up for British selection

If you could be a fly on any wall for a day, where would you go? I’d head to a meeting of the British selectors as they pick the World Championships eventing team for Aachen. As expected with such a wealth of strong combinations, Britain has nominated the maximum 15 entries, with the squad of five to come.

Three pairs – Ros Canter with Lordships Graffalo, Laura Collett on London 52, Tom McEwen riding JL Dublin – are surely guaranteed a spot in the British eventing team. The Paris gold medallists all have a back catalogue of excellent form, combining individual medal potential with consistency.

Tom has Brookfield Quality also listed and despite his good results, I think his pattern of missing the time on his long-format runs pushes him down the list.

Gemma Stevens and Flash Cooley have a strong claim, with a bank of sparkling four-star form over the past two years, bar a rider fall at NAF Hartpury last season. The chink in their armour is lack of five-star form and that their long format win this year came at an event where the cross-country time was easy to achieve.

What does the British team selection policy say?

The selection policy places qualification for the LA28 Olympics – so a top-seven team finish, excluding the USA, who qualify as hosts – as Britain’s primary aim at this championship, followed (in no particular order) by winning medals and giving championship experience.

This might play into the hands of Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal, who have been top-four finishers four times at five-star and should offer reliability – a priority for that team finish – over a seriously low score (more important for winning medals). Harry’s fall at Mars Badminton, when the mare stood on herself, was unfortunate and the selectors may be willing to forgive it.

Harry’s other top mare, Annaghmore Valoner, who finished third at Badminton, was a surprise absence from the list – she has sadly had a setback which means she will miss the autumn season.

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed offered a similar profile of reliable five-star form, without stellar dressage, until their two five-star falls last year. Despite Pau and Defender Kentucky success since, those two errors may be harder to overlook than Cavalier Crystal’s mistake.

Bubby Upton (Its Cooley Time) and Caroline Harris (D. Day) fell on their championship debuts at the Europeans last year. Both have come back with wins, at Defender Bramham and Longines Luhmühlen, and they are well-supported professionals with other horses coming through, so they fit the selection criteria of giving championship experience.

Although Bubby has had two other falls besides the Blenheim one, I think she may be given the individual berth, because her dressage scores make her a potential medallist.

The four 10-year-old horses named are all very promising potential future team players, but may benefit from another year or two. They are United 36 (Tom Jackson), Corimiro (Sarah Bullimore), Gypsie Du Loir (Yasmin Ingham) and Cooley Park Muze (Gemma Stevens).

Finally Katie Magee (Treworra, fifth at Badminton) and Selina Milnes (Cooley Snapchat, second at Bramham) both have other decent results too, but also blips. Neither rider is on the World Class Programme (nor is David Doel currently, although he has been in the past) and while that’s not essential, it’s a measure of who’s on the high performance radar.

Kudos to them for making the 15, but I don’t expect to see them in the final five selected for the British eventing team.

Plenty of choices on worlds’ cross-country track

The top line takeaways from my interview with course-designer Giuseppe della Chiesa about the World Championship cross-country track are as follows.

There are 42 jumping efforts via the straight routes, but 74 fences on the track, indicating the number of alternatives available. In places, Giuseppe has given riders choices that are only two to seven seconds more time-consuming, so they are not true direct and long routes, but genuine alternatives.

The optimum time of around 10 minutes should be tight.

“If you go all the direct routes, you will have jumped a ‘four-star plus’, but you can also find a ‘three-and-a-half-star’ to get around,” says Giuseppe.

● How would you pick the squad? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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You might also enjoy reading:

(Image credit: Getty/Kevin C. Cox)

Golden Paris Olympic trio among British eventing entries for 2026 World Championships

(Image credit: Getty/Kevin C. Cox)

Who’s made the cut for the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 eventing teams? Now updated with nominated entries for every nation plus final squad for the USA

(Image credit: Getty/Kevin C. Cox)

How many fences, what’s the optimum time and more – course-designer answers your questions about the World Championships cross-country course

(Image credit: Getty/Kevin C. Cox)

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‘He taught me what a true five-star horse is like’ – horse who took young rider from Europeans to Badminton put down, aged 22

Pippa Roome — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:54:22 +0000

Smart Time, who competed at the young rider Europeans and gave Dani Stewart-Richardson (née Evans) her first Badminton completions, has been put down, aged 22.

“He taught me what a true five-star horse is – it’s not all about the size of their movement and jump,” said Dani. “It’s what’s between the ears and the want to do it, the ability to be quick over the fences, reserve energy, be trainable and the will to get better.”

Dani’s uncle, horse agent and producer Tim Warren, bought “PJ” from Ireland and Dani rode him as a young horse when she worked for Tim.

“He was sold to his owner Luana Edge and Polly Williamson was his rider, but sadly she had an accident that stopped her riding. I was then asked to take the ride on him,” Dani told H&H.

“When I was riding him as a four-year-old he was tiny, narrow and sharp. But he never looked back, he only ever looked forward and was always going.

“He was a quiet, unassuming little horse, never made a fuss, just wanted to work and then sleep and eat.”

The pair won the under-25 CCI2* (now CCI3*-L) at Tattersalls in 2013 and finished 11th at the young rider Europeans in Jardy in the same year.

In 2015, they were second in the under-25 CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) at Bramham Horse Trials and were selected for the British squad for the senior Europeans at Blair Castle Horse Trials. However, Smart Time was withdrawn on the day of the trot-up as he “wasn’t quite himself”.

Dani Stewart-Richardson and Smart Time regrouped with a trip to Boekelo in the Netherlands that autumn, finishing fifth in the CCIO3*-L (now CCIO4*-L). They repeated that Boekelo placing in 2017.

“My rounds at Boekelo are my best memories with PJ – everything comes up quickly and you have to be fast from the first fence if you want to be competitive,” she said. “PJ was so good at reading the question and being quick to answer it, land and move onto the next. He always jumped so well the last day of a three-day, never tired and just went straight back to work.”

Dani Stewart-Richardson (née Evans) and Smart Time on the way to 17th at Badminton 2018. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Smart Time also completed Badminton Horse Trials twice, Dani’s first finishes at the British five-star, placing 17th in 2018, the final international run of his career. In addition, he was seventh at Blenheim Horse Trials CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) in 2016, fourth at Barbury CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) that year and sixth at Bramham CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) in 2014.

“He was the perfect horse to get me from young riders to seniors – he was on the young rider squad one year and selected for the senior team two years later. How lucky is that?” said Dani.

“Thank you to Luana for asking me to ride him at a young age and setting up my career as a professional event rider.”

Smart Time suffered an injury when he was 16.

“We decided to rehab him, but let him stay a low level. Lorren Chinnock had him and she treated him like a king until the very end. She did Pony Club Championships, hunting, fun rides and just hacking in the more recent years,” said Dani.

Smart Time was put down last month, in the field where he had been spending his retirement.

“PJ had deteriorated one night and wasn’t happy in the morning,” explained Dani.

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Who’s made the cut for the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 eventing teams? Now updated with nominated entries for every nation plus final squad for the USA

Pippa Roome — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:38:47 +0000

If you’re wondering which horses and riders will make the final cut for the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 eventing teams, then H&H is here to keep you abreast of all the selection news as it happens.

I’ll be updating this page every time we receive an update – most recently, I’ve used the nominated entries list to add all the information available at this stage, so every entered nation’s options are now covered below, and I’ve also added the final squad for the USA.

There will be approximately 90 starters in the eventing at this year’s FEI World Championships, with a maximum of five horse and rider combinations per nation.

Teams can consist of three or four athletes, with the best three scores to count. If a country has a team then they can also field one additional horse and rider competing as a individual. Countries that do not have a team can enter two combinations as individuals.

Eventing teams at Aachen 2026

Nations listed in alphabetical order

Australia

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Oliver Barrett with Sandhills Briar
Olivia Barton with APH Sodoku
Christine Bates with Bloomfield Findon
Andrew Cooper with Ocean Eight
Isabel English with Cil Dara Bombay S
Sophia Hill with Humble Glory
Sophia Hill with Tulara Baltango
Andrew Hoy with Vassily De Lassos
Sam Jeffree with Santoro
Ema Klugman with Chiraz
Kevin McNab with Faro Imp
Emma Mason with KPH Kingfisher
David Middleton with WEC In The Breeze
Kenya Wilson with Sandros Salute MW
Sam Woods with SS Eight Count

Austria

Team

Harald Ambros with Vitorio Du Montet
Daniel Dunst with Chevalier 97
Karin Khoddam-Hazrati with Renegade
Lea Siegl with Watermill Giorgio RS

Belgium

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Martin Boon with Gravin Van Cantos
Wouter de Cleene with Quintera
Wouter de Cleene with Ragdoll De Tamise
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier with Hooney D’Arville
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier with Kiarado D’Arville
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier with La La Land D’Arville
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier with Quintus
Karin Donckers with Leipheimer Van’t Verahof
Karin Donckers with Olympic De Muze
Senne Vervaecke with Google Van Alsingen
Kris Vervaecke with Questo Van Alsingen

Brazil

Team

Marcio Carvalho Jorge with Castle Howard Casanova, Linkin Park K or Royal Encounter
Rafael Mamprin Losano with Cooley And Co, Master Quality Imp or Withington
Carlos Parro with Safira

Canada

Individuals

Jessica Phoenix and Fluorescent Adolescent
Mike Winter and El Mundo

China

Individual

Alex Hua Tian with Chicko, with Chapel House as reserve horse

Czech Republic

Team

Pavel Brezina with Turin
Matej Sukdolak with Qaid
Miroslav Trunda with Mellevue Van Rechteren

Denmark

Individuals

Peter Flarup with Gamegirl Impe or H.Carald Z

Spain

Individual

Esteban Benitez Valle with Utrera AA 35 1

Finland

Individuals

Axel Lindberg with Quelle Bonne
Sanna Siltakorpi with Bofey Click

France

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Thomas Carlile with Golden De Béliard AA
Sébastien Cavaillon with Elipso De La Vigne
Luc Château with Cocorico De L’Ebat
Alexis Goury with Colorée De Poteau Z
Alexis Goury with Je’Vall
Karim Laghouag with Dream De Viève
Gaspard Maksud with Zaragoza
Benjamin Massié with Figaro Fonroy
Benjamin Massié with Filao De Perle
Benjamin Massié with Guess Star
Astier Nicolas with Alertamalib’Or
Astier Nicolas with Dirty Old Town
Nicolas Touzaint with Diabolo Menthe

Germany

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Antonia Baumgart with Ris De Talm
Arne Bergendahl with Bronco NRW
Vanessa Bölting with Ready To Go NRW
Malin Hansen-Hotopp with Carlitos Quidditch K
Michael Jung with FischerChipmunk FRH
Pauline Knorr with Aevolet MAF
Julia Krajewski with Uelzener’s Nickel
Julia Krajewski with Tullibard’s Platinum
Libussa Lübbeke with Caramia
Katharina Meyer with Aspen T
Christoph Wahler with D’Accord FRH

Great Britain

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Sarah Bullimore with Corimiro
Ros Canter with Lordships Graffalo
Laura Collett with London 52
David Doel with Galileo Nieuwmoed
Caroline Harris with D. Day
Yasmin Ingham with Gypsie Du Loir
Tom Jackson with United 36
Katie Magee with Treworra
Tom McEwen with Brookfield Quality
Tom McEwen with JL Dublin
Harry Meade with Cavalier Crystal
Selina Milnes with Cooley Snapchat
Gemma Stevens with Cooley Park Muze
Gemma Stevens with Flash Cooley
Bubby Upton with Its Cooley Time

For more insight, here’s what you need to know about the British eventing team entered for Aachen.

Hungary

Individuals

Noémi Viola Doerfer with Piltown Harry
Balázs Kaizinger with Clover 15 or Herr Cooles Classico

India

Individuals

Ashish Limaye with D’Avril Du Pinier
Fouaad Mirza with Mokatoo

Ireland

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Susie Berry and John The Bull
Ian Cassells and Millridge Atlantis
Aoife Clark and Full Monty De Lacense
Sian Coleman and Carrowgar Je T’aime Max
Sarah Ennis and Dourough Ferro Class Act
Georgie Goss and Feloupe
Georgie Goss and Kojak
Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint
Padraig McCarthy and MGH Zabaione
Padraig McCarthy and Pomp n Circumstance
Padraig McCarthy and Lady Ophelia
Joseph Murphy and Calmaro
Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue
Austin O’Connor and Sixmilewater
Sam Watson and Ballyneety Rocketman

Italy

Squad

Francesco Aondio Bertero with It’s Athene
Andrea Cincinnati with Cecelia Lad
Vittoria Panizzon with DHI Jackpot
Paolo Torlonia with Zinny
Giovanni Ugolotti with Duke Of Champions

Japan

Team

Ryuzo Kitajima with Be My Daisy or Feroza Nieuwmoed
Kento Nagura with Vinci De La Vigne JRA
Toshiyuki Tanaka with Jefferson JRA

Morocco

Individual

Noor Slaoui with Cash In Hand or Legende P

Netherlands

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Splinter Bergsma with Vigo Key SR Z
Sanne de Jong with Enjoy
Jillian Giessen with Seattle Park
Florinoor Hoogland with Hontoni
Aliene Ruyter with Veloumani Tess Ly
Adriaan Smeulders with Ekow
Sterre Van Houte with Crossborder Radar Love
Jordy Wilken with Champ Van’t VHIJ

New Zealand

Squad

Clarke Johnstone with Rocket Man
Samantha Lissington with Lucas Stone
Jonelle Price with Senor Crocodillo
Tim Price with Falco
Monica Spencer with Artist

For more insight, including who is on the New Zealand reserves list, here’s what you need to know about the New Zealand eventing team entered for Aachen.

Poland

Individuals

Joanna Pawlak with Armin De Monsieur
Manuel Grave with Carat De Bremoy

Switzerland

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Angelika Dubach with Felin De Chignan
Robin Godel with Dealer De La Bride
Robin Godel with Grandeur De Lully CH
Mélody Johner with Erin
Nadja Minder with Toblerone
Nadja Minder with Top Job’s Jalisco
Desirée Schmidt with Fairy Tale B
Felix Vogg with Cartania
Felix Vogg with Colero
Felix Vogg with Frieda

Sweden

Squad

Frieda Anderson with Box Leo
Christoffer Forsberg with Hippo’s Sapporo TSF
Louise Romeike with Caspian 15
Sofia Sjöberg with Bryjamolga VH Marienshof Z or Govalent
Amanda Staam with Corpoubet AT

Thailand

Individuals

Weerapat Pitakanonda with B.Grimm Chateau De Versailles M2S
Korntawat Samran with B.Grimm Carouzo Bois Marotin

Turkey

Individual

Kumry Say with Balandin De L’Ocean LA

USA

Squad

Will Coleman with Diabolo
Phillip Dutton with Possante
Boyd Martin with Cooley Nutcracker
Caroline Pamukcu with HSH Blake
Tamie Smith with Lillet 3

For more insight into the US selection and the reserve list, here’s what you need to know about the US squad who will head to the eventing World Championships.

When are final team announcements for eventing?

The deadline for definite entries – that is the final squads of up to five athletes per nation, bar injury or illness – is 27 July.

How are teams selected?

Each country follows its own selection process. The British selectors take into account the results of horse and rider combinations at major competitions, as well as the difficulty of certain courses, how competitive a competition was and results at events with “field of play similarities” to a championships.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from the World Championships and other major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

British four-star ‘delighted’ to be new home for eventing Nations Cup qualifier

Lucy Elder — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:42:14 +0000

The British leg of the FEI eventing Nations Cup series is moving north to Defender Bramham Horse Trials in West Yorkshire next year (10 to 14 June 2027).

The news was revealed in the wrap-up report from last week’s FEI Board meeting (30 June to 1 July), which took place in Switzerland.

The eventing Nations Cup is a team event run at short-format four-star level, featuring qualifiers in different countries and culminating in a long-format final at Boekelo in the Netherlands in the autumn. A team ticket for the LA28 Olympics will also be up for grabs at the 2027 eventing Nations Cup final.

The rules were rejigged ahead of this season – each of the five legs now act as qualifiers for the final (based on points collected at each leg), where teams will start on a clean slate. Previously, the series ran solely on a points system, meaning it was possible for winners to be decided before the final started.

Britain’s leg of the Nations Cup has had several homes over the years, most recently at Bicton Horse Trials, in Devon, in May. Chatsworth, in Derbyshire, held the 2023 edition, and before that, it ran at Houghton Hall in Norfolk.

Bramham Horse Trials event director Nicholas Pritchard told H&H that the fixture was “delighted to receive the news from the FEI that we’d been selected to host a qualifier”.

“Bramham is renowned for being a discovery ground for horse and rider combinations with star potential and the Nations Cup will add further impact to those credentials,” said Mr Pritchard.

“Add to that being part of a route to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games makes it incredibly exciting. France, Ireland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Sweden and Italy are all regular visitors, and we’d love to see more flags making the trip to Bramham in 2027.”

He added: “To be chosen by the FEI is testament to the incredible group we have at Bramham who deliver a world-class event – from the home team who do the organisation, infrastructure and our showpiece cross country courses to our army of volunteers and loyal sponsors and partners, everyone plays a huge part.”

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A five-star winner, a fall forgiven and an emotional story: US eventing squad selected for the World Championships

Pippa Roome — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:07:41 +0000

Defender Kentucky five-star winners Will Coleman and Diabolo will head up the US squad for the eventing World Championships at Aachen in August.

The US selection pathway for the Aachen 2026 eventing team is more straightforward than some others such as Britain’s – where riders have the pick of multiple events – in that the vast majority of US contenders head to Kentucky Three-Day Event for either the five-star or four-star short, so these two classes act as the major spring championship trial.

As such, the US squad includes the five-star winners in Will and Diabolo and runners-up Caroline Pamucku and HSH Blake, plus frequent team rider Phillip Dutton, who was eighth on Possante. Also included are Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker (11th in the five-star) and Kentucky four-star winners Tamie Smith and Lillet 3. The four-star runner Very Dignified is one of two direct reserve mounts for Will.

There are no major surprises in the squad. Selectors obviously decided they could forgive Tamie her fall at Defender Bramham Horse Trials.

Perhaps the only real question mark is the absence of Boyd’s Commando 3 (sixth at Kentucky five-star after very good five-star form in 2025) from either the squad or reserve bench – one has to assume this smart horse is out of contention with some kind of setback. Boyd has a reserve listing for Shanroe Cooley, who was third at Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials.

The selection of Cooley Nutcracker has a particular emotional pull because he was ridden at Paris 2024 by Liz Halliday, before her life-changing injury in a fall, and is owned by a syndicate called Liz’s Nutcrackers, which includes Liz and her mother, Debby. Liz watched the horse in action at Kentucky in April, her first return to an event since her accident.

Of interest to British fans will be the inclusion on the reserve list of Wiltshire-based Tiana Coudray with her Bramham podium finisher D’Artagnan. Should she be called up, this would be Tiana’s first championship since the 2012 London Olympics.

Fellow reserve Hallie Coon (Kapriccio) is also based in Wiltshire, while Allie Knowles (Montpellier Scais) has been competing in Britain this season as part of the development tour and sealed her reserve listing with results at Bicton Horse Trials and Bramham.

The squad includes three riders from the US’s 2022 world silver medal-winning team (Will, Tamie and Boyd), but no horses – unless Will ends up riding his old favourite Off The Record (seventh individually at the 2022 worlds), who is one of his two direct reserve horses.

It will be decided nearer the time of the World Championships which four riders from the US squad make up the eventing team and which rides as an individual.

US eventing squad for the 2026 World Championships

The full squad, in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:

Will Coleman with 14-year-old gelding Diabolo

Owner: Diabolo Group

Breeder: Fritz Maschmann

Breeding: by Diarado out of a mare by Aljano 2

Groom: Erin Jarboe

Phillip Dutton with 13-year-old gelding Possante

Owner: The Possante Group

Breeder: De Radstake B.V

Breeding: by Namelus R out of a mare by Otangelo

Groom: Emma Yanek

Boyd Martin with 12-year-old gelding Cooley Nutcracker

Owner: Liz’s Nutcrackers

Breeder: Gary Doherty

Breeding: by BMC Tolan R out of a mare by Cobra

Groom: Stephanie Simpson

Caroline Pamukcu with 11-year-old gelding HSH Blake

Owners: Mollie Hoff, rider’s mother Sherrie Martin, rider and her husband Deniz

Breeder: Justin Burke

Breeding: by BMC Tolan R out of a mare by Kannan

Groom: Chloe Teahan

Tamie Smith with 10-year-old mare Lillet 3

Owners: Molly and Jennifer Duda

Breeder: Morena Petersen

Breeding: SIEC Livello out of a mare by Calidio I

Groom: Savannah Gwin

Direct reserve horses for Will Coleman:

Seventeen-year-old gelding Off The Record

Owner: Off The Record Syndicate

Breeder: Peter G. Brady

Breeding: by VDL Arkansas out of a mare by ARD Ohio

Groom: Erin Jarboe

Eleven-year-old mare Very Dignified

Owners: Jerome Broussard, Gloria Callen and Elizabeth Lendrum

Breeder: Deirdre Bowler

Breeding: by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet out of a mare by Ricardo Z

Groom: Erin Jarboe

The following combinations have been selected as alternates and are listed in alphabetical order (grooms have not been published for the reserves):

Jennie Brannigan with 16-year-old gelding FE Lifestyle

Owners: Tim and Nina Gardner

Breeder: Danny Arnold

Breeding: by Leo Von Faelz out of a mare by Brandenburger

Hallie Coon with 11-year-old gelding Kapriccio

Owners: rider and Helen Coon

Breeder: E. Van Hal

Breeding: by Dexter R out of mare by Carambo

Tiana Coudray with 12-year-old gelding D’Artagnan

Owners: Kyrle Arscott, Tiana Coudray, and Annabelle James

Breeder: unlisted

Breeding: by Diamant De Semilly out of a mare by Cassini II

Phillip Dutton with 11-year-old gelding Denim

Owners: Ann Jones, Ann Lapides, Caroline Moran, and Neill Sites

Breeder: Bachmann

Breeding: by Dinken out of a mare by Ibisco

Sydney Elliot with 16-year-old gelding QC Diamantaire

Owner: Carol Stephens

Breeder: Berthold Gerdes

Breeding: by Diarado out of a mare by Sandro Hit

Emily Hamel with 19-year-old gelding Corvett

Owner: Black Flag Option, LLC

Breeder: Doris Schimmer

Breeding: by Corrido out of a mare by Clearway

Allie Knowles with nine-year-old Montpellier Scais

Owner: Katherine O’Brien

Breeder: Ben Wentink

Breeding: by Quasimodo Van De Molendreef out of a mare by Indoctro

Boyd Martin with 11-year-old Shanroe Cooley

Owner: Dallas LLC

Breeder: Anthony Smyth

Breeding: by Dallas VDL out of a mare by Condios

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Eventing hub

Pippa Roome — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:03:59 +0000

Whether you’re looking for the latest eventing news, exclusive interviews with top event riders or opinions from influential eventing names, Horse & Hound’s eventing hub is the place to be. Also get training tips to help improve your eventing performance and find out about the latest kit and clothing.

Five-star campaigners and gold medallists among British squad for first under-25 eventing World Championships

Becky Murray — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:52:23 +0000

The British squad for the under-25 eventing World Championships at Millstreet has been announced.

The inaugural event gets under way in Ireland on 22 July. British Eventing (BE) selectors have now confirmed which Brits will be in action.

The young squad features plenty of scope and talent. Newly crowned U25 national champions Alice Casburn and Topspin bring forward a wealth of five-star experience, with an enviable nine completions and five finishes in the top 10. Alice and her mother Caroline’s home-bred gelding were part of the gold medal-winning young rider squad at the 2022 Europeans, where they won individual bronze.

Tom Bird is another seasoned five-star campaigner, though on different horses to the young Lenny. This nine-year-old mare, who competed in the Blenheim eight- and nine-year-olds last autumn, is yet to have a jumping fault across country.

Cerys Macaulay finished 15th in the Bramham CCI4*-S last month with her boyfriend Richard Coney’s Kananaskis. This 18-year-old gelding completed Pau with Richard in 2020 and was part of the team at the young rider Europeans in 2019. Cerys took over the reins in 2024.

Jasmine Underwood is the world number two young rider. She and Indian Girl G have five championships under their belt; including individual and team gold at the 2024 young rider Europeans. The pair were ninth at Royal Jump CCI4*-L in May and runners-up in the Ballindenisk CCI4*-S in April.

Jess Rimmer took over the reins of The Spice Merchant from Alexandra Munn in March last year. The pair are another to have a blemish-free international cross-country jumping record. They have completed three four-star shorts this spring; at Thoresby Park, Belsay and Bramham.

The British squad for the under-25 eventing World Championships is:

Tom Bird, 24, with nine-year-old mare Lenny

Owner: rider and his mother Frances, and Helen Kerry

Barnie Brotherton, 23, with 11-year-old gelding DHI King Nelson

Owner: Naomi Brotherton

Alice Casburn, 24, with 18-year-old gelding Topspin

Owner: Alice and her mother Caroline

Cerys Macaulay, 24, with 18-year-old gelding Kananaskis

Owner: Richard and Wendy Coney

Jess Rimmer, 24, with 14-year-old gelding The Spice Merchant

Owner: The Portman Ladies Syndicate

Jasmine Underwood, 21, with 13-year-old mare Indian Girl G

Owner: rider

Reserves:

Alice Casburn with nine-year-old mare LSS Ile De Re (direct reserve for Topsin)

Owner: Sally Witte and Carline Casburn

Finn Healy with nine-year-old gelding Greannanstown Monbeg Joe

Owner: rider

Lucy Stimson with 16-year-old Tynan Cooley

Owner: rider

“We are delighted to announce the combinations selected to represent Great Britain at the under-25 World Eventing Championships in Millstreet. The selectors have chosen riders and horses who they believe are best prepared to perform on this stage and represent BE with pride,” said chef d’equipe David Sheerin.

“We have two strong squads heading to Ireland, and it is fantastic to see the talent, dedication and hard work within the under-25 programme. The whole British Eventing youth programme is behind them, and we wish all the riders and their teams the very best of luck for the championships.”

A BE spokesperson thanked the governing body’s official safety partner Charles Owen, which as part of its long-term support of BE, is supplying each rider with a new Kontor body protector and custom team covers.

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(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Olympic medallist to become newest five-star cross-country course-designer

Lucy Elder — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:02:09 +0000

Olympic medallist Clayton Fredericks will design his first five-star cross-country course at next year’s Adelaide Equestrian Festival (15-18 April 2027).

Clayton was part of the Australian silver medal-winning eventing team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and won individual silver and team bronze at the 2006 World Championships. In recent years, his focus has turned to designing cross-country courses and coaching.

Only a handful of people have designed at the highest level, so this appointment is significant news both for Clayton’s own course-designing career and in the context of the wider sport.

He will succeed Britain’s Mike Etherington-Smith; Mike will stay on in the role of course advisor, and Ewan Kellett will support Clayton as assistant course-designer. Mick Pineo will continue as cross-country lead at the fixture.

Clayton said he is “incredibly honoured” to accept the position.

“Adelaide is one of the world’s iconic eventing competitions, combining elite sport with a spectacular city setting,” he said.

“Having competed at Adelaide in the inaugural year of 1997, I have a deep appreciation for the event’s history and significance. My goal is to build on the outstanding work of Mike Etherington-Smith and the festival team by designing courses that are challenging, fair and, above all, safe for both horse and rider.”

Mike said he is “absolutely delighted to see Clayton take on this challenge”.

“Having worked closely with him at a number of venues around the world, I have seen first-hand his passion for the sport, his attention to detail and his understanding of what makes a great cross-country course,” he said.

“I have every confidence that he is the right person to design the Adelaide course.”

Clayton also holds other international course design and assistant designer roles. This includes serving as assistant to Burghley’s course-designer Derek di Grazia at this year’s event, alongside fellow assistant Andrew Heffernan. Clayton and Andrew are doing a masterclass on the Thursday (3 September) of Burghley.

Adelaide Equestrian Festival event director Kirsty Withers said Clayton’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the event.

“Clayton’s achievements as both an athlete and course designer have earned him enormous respect throughout the global eventing community,” she said.

“Together with Ewan, Mick and the best course-building team in the region, this exceptional group will continue to strengthen the Adelaide Equestrian Festival’s reputation as one of the world’s premier five-star events.”

She added: “I’m also delighted that Mike Etherington-Smith will continue his long-standing association in his new role as course advisor, ensuring his invaluable knowledge and experience remain part of Adelaide’s future.”

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Five-star winners and medallists feature on New Zealand’s eventing squad for 2026 World Championships

Lucy Elder — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:54:53 +0000

The New Zealand eventing team for the Aachen 2026 World Championships has been confirmed, featuring the four Kiwi riders who won medals at the last worlds.

Five-star winners Tim Price and Falco spearheaded the New Zealand team to bronze four years ago, when they claimed an individual medal of the same colour – recording the same finishing score as Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who came fourth. Falco is 17 years old now and a seasoned warhorse, so another brace of medals will likely be the aim again.

Falco has been a great friend to Tim over their decade of international competition together. He was hardly an ingénu at Pratoni 2022; he had already won Pau CCI5* and had a wealth of four-star form. Since those medals in Italy, he has come through an operation to remove a tumour, was sixth at the Paris Olympics, had his front teeth removed and finished second at two five-stars – most recently at Badminton 2026.

Tim has said he wants to be a “heavy contributor” to New Zealand’s quest for a team medal; an individual one would go nicely with that.

Monica Spencer and 15-year-old thoroughbred Artist were also on the bronze medal-winning squad in Italy and have contested seven CCI5*s since then, finishing in the top 10 at five including second at Maryland 2025. They have experience at Aachen, should be in the mix after the first phase and have a superb cross-country record. The final phase can be costly, but they can jump clear.

Clarke Johnstone and Jonelle Price were also on the team podium at Pratoni and are back again for Aachen with a pair of greys who look to be coming into their prime. Clarke is named with Rocket Man, an 11-year-old with solid four-star form, Jonelle with 12-year-old Senor Crocodillo, who has impressed at CCI4*-S and at Luhmühlen five-star in recent years.

Samantha Lissington will make her senior championship debut at the Aachen World Championships aboard the promising Lucas Stone, with whom she won a CCI4*-L at Strzegom in October. Samantha shared on Sunday that her top horse, Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, was out of contention for the squad owing to injury. Lucas Stone joined Sam’s string as a three-star horse with a view to his being a potential back-up ride for LA28 and Aachen will be the biggest stage the 10-year-old has experienced in his career. But his results at both long- and short-format four-star are excellent and he will be one to watch with interest both at these championships and beyond.

All riders, with the exception of Monica, also have horses on the reserve list.

It’s a strong squad, backed up by an impressive list of reserves – choosing who to leave on the bench will have been no easy task for selectors.

Could the New Zealand challenge for team gold? On paper, that tussle is likely to be between home side Germany and the Brits, neither of which have named their teams yet. At this stage of crystal ball gazing, they should start as favourites for a spot on the team podium, probably silver or bronze, and have some live individual chances for a medal of any colour. The countdown is on…

New Zealand eventing squad for the 2026 Aachen World Championships

The full squad, in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:

Clarke Johnstone with 11-year-old gelding Rocket Man

Owner: Jean and Rob Johnstone

Breeder: Nicole Nehm

Breeding: by Diacontinus, out of a mare by For Pleasure

Samantha Lissington with 10-year-old Lucas Stone

Owner: Fiona Edwards, Neil Robertson, David Taylor, Claire and Andrew Dubowski, rider and her husband Brayden Lissington

Breeder: Kaisa Kiviniitty

Breeding: by Concreto

Jonelle Price with 12-year-old gelding Senor Crocodillo

Owner: Joe and Alexander Giannamore and Jonelle Price

Breeder: Utersum/Foehr

Breeding: by Connor 48, out of a mare by Exorbitant XX

Tim Price with 17-year-old gelding Falco

Owner: Sue Benson and rider

Breeder: Norbert Nowak

Breeding: by Cardenio 2, out of a mare by Weinberg

Monica Spencer with 15-year-old gelding Artist

Owner: Spencer Eventing

Breeder: Windsor Park Stud Ltd

Breeding: by Guillotine, out of a mare by Volksraad

New Zealand eventing squad reserves for Aachen 2026 World Championships:

James Avery with 12-year-old Dallas 13

Owner: David and Karie Thomson

Breeder: Amy Woodhouse

Breeding: by Dimaggio

Jesse Campbell with 12-year-old gelding Speedwell

Owner: Karen Marguerutte Coumbe, Hannah Caven, Colin Graves, Deborah Strang and rider

Breeder: Ronan Tynan

Breeding: by Cobra, out of a mare by Warrenstown You 2

Clarke Johnstone with 12-year-old gelding Sparky Lad

Owner: Waratah Equestrian PTY Ltd

Breeding: by Smart Missile

Caroline Powell with 14-year-old gelding High Time

Owner: Ruth Armstrong, Serena Greenwell, Jo West and rider

Breeder: Annie Allen

Breeding: by Hemmingway

Samantha Lissington with 12-year-old mare Delarado

Owner: Kate Maitland, Rachel Bessell, rider and her husband Brayden Lissington

Breeder: Kate Maitland

Breeding: by Diarado, out of a mare by Handsome Stranger

Tayla Mason with 15-year-old Centennial

Owner: Sue Rutter and Sonya, Kyle and Tayla Mason

Breeder: Sonya Mason

Breeding: by Euro Sport Centavos, out of a mare by Moonwalker

Jonelle Price with 14-year-old gelding Capitaine De Hus Z

Owner: David and Karie Thomson

Breeder: Haras de Hus

Breeding: by Cosinhus, out of a mare by Fergar Mail

Jonelle Price with 12-year-old gelding Chilli’s Midnight Star

Owner: Nikki Axon and Merrill Halstead

Breeder: Mrs N E Axon

Breeding: by Chilli Morning, out of a mare by Laban

Tim Price with 12-year-old Jarillo

Owner: Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, James and Rachel Good

Breeder: R.Vriend

Breeding: by Dantos, out of a mare by Alicante

Tim Price with 16-year-old Vitali

Owner: Alexander and Joe Giannamore and Tim Price

Breeder: Fielmann Guenther

Breeding: by Contender, out of a mare by Heraldik

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Three European silver medallists top Ireland’s eventing entries for 2026 World Championships

Martha Terry — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:25:53 +0000

The Irish eventing squad entries shortlist for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen 2026 has been revealed, including three combinations from the silver medal-winning team at last season’s European Championships at Blenheim.

The 15-strong list of nominated entries features a mix of experienced pairs and potential championship debutants. The Blenheim trio that won Ireland’s first senior European eventing team medal for 30 years are Padraig McCarthy with Pomp N Circumstance, Aoife Clark with Full Monty De Lacense and Ian Cassells with Millridge Atlantis. Sadly, the fourth horse there – Robbie Kearns’ ride Chance Encounter — died a few weeks afterwards, owing to colic and sepsis.

Despite that historic medal, Ireland’s Aachen squad is wide open.

Millridge Atlantis looks most likely of the trio to regain his spot. The 12-year-old is capable of posting a sub-30 dressage mark and has a spotless cross-country record since 2021 as well as being a reliable showjumper. He has posted two solid double clears at four-star short this season and could bid to improve on individual 14th from Blenheim.

Padraig has three horses nominated. Pomp N Circumstance’s form is arguably the weakest having faulted cross-country on his two international runs since finishing 12th and best of the Irish at Blenheim. Padraig’s 10-year-old home-bred MGH Zabaione could get the nod thanks to his top-10 finish at Boekelo last autumn, though he had 20 penalties at Bramham last time out. Lady Ophelia finished in the top 20 at Badminton and is a reliable cross-country performer but is not strong in the dressage phase.

Aoife’s ride Full Monty De Lacense has done little wrong since his fall at Blenheim, securing an eye-catching fourth place at Bramham CCI4*-L on his dressage score last time out.

Sarah Ennis rode as an individual at Blenheim on Dourough Ferro Class Act, who turned heads with his breathtaking scope in both jumping phases. This shortlisted 11-year-old is surely a team horse in the making and has form. He was runner-up at Millstreet on his last international run, and has a clear cross-country round at Aachen in 2025 already on his CV.

Austin O’Connor and 17-year-old Colorado Blue (Salty) are the standout combination in the Irish shortlist as the 2023 Maryland winners with multiple five-star podiums on their CV. They have finished best of the Irish on both their Olympic appearances. Assuming the grey is back to full fitness following their withdrawal from Badminton and Kentucky owing to a “setback” this spring, they will likely spearhead Ireland’s challenge.

Austin is also nominated with Salty’s 12-year-old stablemate Sixmilewater, who jumped clear round Badminton in May.

Team stalwart Sam Watson is in the running to add another world medal to his collection, having been part of the silver medal-winning team in Tryon in 2018. Two of his team-mates there, Padraig and Sarah, are also shortlisted this time. Sam’s current ride Ballyneety Rocketman is a superb cross-country horse with a four-star long win to his name, but this rangy galloper may find Aachen’s twists and turns frustrating.

Georgie Goss has two horses in the mix to make her championship debut for Ireland. Her striking black gelding Kojak has an impressive record with several top-10 finishes at four-star. Their only blot on an almost unblemished cross-country record is a stumble in the water at the end of the Boekelo track last season, but they’ve been on form this year and are smart in all three phases.

The chasing pack includes Susie Berry (John The Bull), Sian Coleman (Carrowgar Je T’Aime Max), Lucy Latta (RCA Patron Saint) and Joseph Murphy (Calmaro).

Ireland’s high performance selection panel is made up of independent chair Brian Mangan and high performance manager Sam Griffiths, alongside selectors Gillian Kyle and Declan Cullen.

With more than six weeks until the World Championships kick off, some combinations may have a final run according to what suits each horse. Either way, it’s set to be a nail-biting countdown as final squads are revealed and Aachen draws near.

The next key date for all World Championship teams is 27 July, the deadline for definite entries – when the final squad (bar injury or illness) will be announced.

Irish eventing squad shortlist for the 2026 Aachen World Championships

The full list, in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:

Susie Berry with 15-year-old gelding John The Bull

Owners: Nick & Helen Caton

Breeder: James Byrne

Breeding: by Luidam, out of a mare by Houmayoun

Ian Cassells with 12-year-old gelding Millridge Atlantis

Owners: Ber, Fiona and Gerry Leahy

Breeder: Sean O’Loughlin

Breeding: by Dinan Casscaletto (ISH) out of a mare by Warrenstown You 2

Aoife Clark with 11-year-old gelding Full Monty de Lacense

Owner: Ace of Spades Syndicate

Breeder: SCEA Du Noron

Breeding: by Quickly De Kreisker out of a mare by Vesontio Du Mesnil

Sian Coleman with 13-year-old gelding Carrowgar Je T’Aime Max

Owner-breeder: Gina Heaps

Breeding: by Je T’Aime Flamenco out of a mare by Coolcorron Cool Diamond

Sarah Ennis with 11-year-old gelding Dourough Ferro Class Act

Owners: James and Niki Potterton

Breeder: Gordon Dury

Breeding: by Creevagh Ferro out of a mare by OBOS Quality 004

Georgie Goss with 16-year-old mare Feloupe

Owners: Suzanne Doggett, Lucy Fleming, Kelly Holmes and rider

Breeder: MWK Gabriel

Breeding: by Ustinov out of a mare by Zapateado

Georgie Goss with 11-year-old gelding Kojak

Owners: Molly Fisher, Lucy Fleming, Samantha Wilson and rider

Breeder: H. Vos

Breeding: by Namelus R out of a mare by Contender

Lucy Latta with 15-year-old gelding RCA Patron Saint.

Owners: Alison, David and Lesley Crampton

Breeder: Richard Ames

Breeding: by Grafenstolz TSF

Padraig McCarthy with 10-year-old gelding MGH Zabaione

Owners: Peter Cattell and Diane Brunsden

Breeder: rider

Breeding: by Zavall VDL out of a mare by Acobat II

Padraig McCarthy with 12-year-old gelding Pomp N Circumstance

Owners: Rachel and Sarah Gough

Breeder: Sarah Gough

Breeding: by Pompadour xx out of a mare by Furisto

Padraig McCarthy with 14-year-old mare Lady Ophelia

Owners: Denis Hickey, Emma de Haan, and Pamela Idelson

Breeder: Denis Hickey

Breeding: sire not known; by a mare out of Over The River xx

Joseph Murphy with 15-year-old gelding Calmaro

Owners: Richard and Tanja Ames, Annette O’Callaghan and Alan Bell

Breeder: Hartmut Schack

Breeding: by Carpalano out of a mare by Elsurimo xx

Austin O’Connor with 17-year-old gelding Colorado Blue

Owner: The Salty Syndicate

Breeder: Mellon Stud

Breeding: by Jaguar Mail out of a mare by Rock King

Austin O’Connor with 12-year-old gelding Sixmilewater

Owner: Nicky Bennell

Breeder: Denis O’Riordan

Breeding: by OBOS Quality 004 out of a mare by Buster King xx

Sam Watson with 12-year-old gelding Ballyneety Rocketman

Owners: Hannah and Sam Watson

Breeder: James Hickey

Breeding: by Diamond Discovery xx out of a mare by Errigal Flight

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‘Our hearts hurt’: five-star runner-up out of contention for World Championships

Lucy Elder — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:24:20 +0000

Samantha Lissington’s stable star Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ has been ruled out of contention for the New Zealand eventing squad at the 2026 World Championships (11 to 23 August).

The 15-year-old gelding, whom Samantha owns with husband Brayden and Pip McCarroll, recorded a career high when finishing second in the CCI5* at Longines Luhmühlen last year. This month, they were also runners-up to Tom McEwen and JL Dublin in Defender Bramham’s CCI4*-S.

Samantha has an exciting string and four-star form with several other horses, so this does not mean the end of her own journey to selection for Aachen. But it is a blow. At Bramham, she spoke of her hopes of getting to the worlds with Sooty, the horse who she owes “a lot of credit for my career”.

Samantha Lissington and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ. (Image credit: Bex Pattenden)

Yesterday (28 June), Samantha said that she was “heartbroken to share that Sooty has picked up an injury” and will not be making the trip to the eventing World Championships this year.

“A 10-year partnership together, taking on the world. The most genuine little sidekick I could have asked for, solid as a rock through the ups and downs of my learning curves,” she said.

“He gave us our first five-star podium last year in fantastic company, then showed all his class at Bramham a few weeks ago – our hearts hurt for what could have been in August.

“For now he will enjoy some well-earned rest in the field, we will see what the future holds.”

She added that Sooty is “happy and comfortable” and will “no doubt” enjoy bossing her retired five-star campaigner, Ricker Ridge Rui.

“A huge thank you to Pip McCarroll, what a journey we’ve had – it’s been an absolute privilege to ride him, and to have you by my side all the way,” she said.

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‘I will miss you forever, my friend’: farewell to Olympic horse who ‘changed his rider’s life’

Becky Murray — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:33:14 +0000

Tom Bombadill Too, the talented gelding Olympic rider Ruy Fonseca says “changed his life”, has died aged 26.

Ruy and Tom Bombadill Too (Tommy) represented Brazil in six championships – including the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics – and competed in 15 countries together.

“Last Sunday Tommy left us,” said Ruy, who named his business Bombadill Equestrian after the Holsteiner gelding.

“It’s been a hard few days but I’m sure he’s in a beautiful place up there and he deserved so. What a unique, unbelievable journey we had.”

Tommy started his career as a five-year-old competing in British Eventing with his previous owner Serena Urquhart. The Urquharts bought him as a “very flighty five-year-old” from Nikki Ryan, from a Horse & Hound advert. Serena produced him up to intermediate level then in 2009 Ruy took over the reins.

“In 14 months we went from novice to five-star, then four months later he was double clear at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky,” said Ruy.

“From there, we did two Pan American Games in Mexico and Canada, grabbing team bronze and individual bronze and team silver. We were so close to an individual gold in Toronto in 2015 where we led from the dressage until the last jump on the final day. The most little rub took the gold off our neck, but I would think I would be in that position with the little quirky 16hh horse together among the best. What pleasure and beautiful experience.”

Ruy Fonseca and Tom Bombadill Too rode at the London 2012 Olympics, where Brazil finished ninth, and Rio 2016, where the team was seventh. They completed the five-star at Luhmühlen Horse Trials in 2010, finishing 32nd.

“We ticked a few boxes that never in my life or career I thought I would,” said Ruy, adding that special memories include his mother hacking him, and his wife and father-in-law completing lower level events with Tommy aged 19.

“Winning Barroca d’Alva CCI3* in Portugal was very emotional because it was for a special friend who is up there with Tommy. It is the most beautiful trophy that I have here at home.”

“He was the most kind, easy and happy horse that changed my life, giving me opportunities, chances and plenty of learning experiences.”

Many top riders have paid tribute to Tommy; Ruy told H&H he was “privileged” to see the “amazing comments” from the many people who loved him.

“Mark Todd was our trainer during our best performances and we had great times and results together. I was very honoured to be trained by Toddy at the time and we are good friends,” said Ruy.

“Anna Ross was essential to the development of Tommy’s dressage, which gave us the best results at the 2014 World Equestrian Games. We were top 10 after the dressage.”

Ruy said Tommy “touched many people and hearts” – adding thanks to Tommy’s “partner, friend and groom” Caroline Gordon and everyone that was involved with him.

“A dream team and amazing memories,” said Ruy.

“I will miss you forever my friend.”

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‘I just fell in love with him, we were similar’: farewell to sensitive yet bold horse who won Olympic medal

Becky Murray — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:33:12 +0000

Tributes have been paid to Olympic team bronze medallist Pluto Mio, who has died in retirement, aged 28.

The much-loved gelding, owned and bred by Jane and John Pittard, jumped clear across country at the Rio Olympics with Stuart Tinney, helping the Australian team win bronze – just 6.3 penalties behind champions France.

Stuart told H&H he took on the ride of Pluto Mio in 2010, when John and Jane were considering selling him.

“His temperament was ‘feisty’,” said Stuart. “He was a five-star horse with some problems; he was argumentative in the cross-country and very bold.

“He was very noise sensitive, but deep down had a sensitivity that was endearing. I just fell in love with him, we were both similar!”

Pluto Mio did not start his international eventing career until 2008. He was originally campaigned by Australian rider Katja Weimann, who produced him up the levels. Katja and Pluto were 12th in the Adelaide CCI4* (now CCI5*) in November 2010, before Stuart took on the reins.

“We had a relationship later in his career and I was not sure I could navigate him to be the world-class horse he became. We did click very quickly, and I just loved training him and having his company,” said Stuart.

“He was bred by Jane, who had a real soft spot for him and remained his owner throughout his 28 years of life, alongside John.”

Stuart said horses of Pluto’s calibre are rare.

“I taught him to not run through the bridle and he wore a snaffle for cross-country, and I often rode him in a hackamore for showjumping,” said Stuart, adding that Pluto had many fans.

“He was sensitive, bold, sound and would just give you 100%. His list of accolades representing Australia are long; he was 10th at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy and so close to gold in Rio. Clinching bronze was more than I could ask for from him.”

Stuart said Pluto was “always an amazing companion”.

“He was an incredibly well-mannered horse on the ground and a stable favourite – apart from the amount of purple shampoo used,” he said.

“He just loved his job. He rests with his mate, the Sydney Olympics gold medallist Jeepster, at our property, one hour from Sydney.

“Thank you Pluto Mio, you will always have a place in my heart, my wife Karen’s, and John and Jane’s.”

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Golden Paris Olympic trio among British eventing entries for 2026 World Championships

Lucy Elder — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:47:30 +0000

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.

The next key date is 27 July, the deadline for definite entries – the final squad (bar injury or illness).

Read Pippa Roome’s analysis on who will make the cut for the World Championships

British eventing squad shortlist for the 2026 Aachen World Championships

The full list, in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:

Sarah Bullimore with 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.

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How many fences, what’s the optimum time and more – course-designer answers your questions about the World Championships cross-country course

Pippa Roome — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:58:33 +0000

It’s 50 days until riders jump the World Championships cross-country course, on Saturday 15 August. The showground at Aachen will be alive with the bustle of spectators waving flags and in the stables, the nerves will be buzzing.

What can riders expect from the track? And what has it been like putting it together? We caught up with the course-designer, Italy’s Giuseppe della Chiesa, to find out.

The numbers tell a large part of the story in terms of the specific challenges of designing championship track. Those who take every direct route will tackle 42 jumping efforts, but there are 74 fences in the course.

“That tells you something about how many alternatives there are,” says Giuseppe. “When you come to a championship, you have even more variety of expertise and experience than at other events.

“We have minimum eligibility requirements – people call them qualifications, but that is the wrong name for them because if you pass one, you are not qualified. They happen all over the world and some are probably not really the right level, but in the end, we want to have everybody there.

“So you have established five-star horses and riders and pairs that maybe never saw a real four-star in their life. The challenge is to produce a course that allows the best to be sorted out and the others to finish. Not everybody will do so, but I start with the idea that everybody should have a way to come home, if they use their brain.

“Anybody can design for good riders because if you make a mistake, they will solve it. Designing for average riders is more difficult.”

Are there any particular themes or pointers riders must keep in mind on the course?

“If they ride well and they engage their brain, they will be fine – and, as I say, there is a route for everybody,” says Giuseppe. “The rules say the cross-country at the World Championships is four-star with a special distance of 10 minutes. I think 42 efforts over 10 minutes is a good balance, it creates a good competition.

“If you go all the direct routes, you will have jumped a ‘four-star plus’, but you can also find a ‘three-and-a-half-star’ to get around.”

Giuseppe della Chiesa. (Image credit: Getty Images)

That optimum time, of approximately 10 minutes, will be tight, Giuseppe predicts.

“I tried, without stressing them too much, to keep control of the horses’ speed so that we can have some interest with the time,” he says. “And then they need to pay attention because it’s easy to have a glance-off, especially if you’re going for the time.”

World Championships cross-country: Aachen’s history

Giuseppe says a huge plus of working at at Aachen is the “fantastic” organising committee.

“They are completely dedicated, they followed me on anything I asked of them,” he said, citing the fact the site is very flat as something of a challenge compared to Pratoni del Vivaro, where he designed the course for the 2022 World Championships.

Eventing first came to Aachen in 2005, in a test event for the 2006 World Equestrian Games (WEG). Giuseppe explains that there was no intention for eventing to be part of the programme at the venue after that WEG.

“They prepared all the footing for the track, spending a huge amount of money because it’s very difficult to prepare there; because it’s very wet, the soil is not good,” he says.

After WEG, the organisers wanted to keep eventing as part of their showcase summer event every year, but designer Rüdiger Schwarz was left with the challenge of creating a four-star short using parts of the track that had been designed for the WEG.

“He had to be really creative,” says Giuseppe, explaining that in putting together the route for this year’s World Championships cross-country course and going to the expense of preparing new areas of ground, he has also tried to leave a site where it will be easier to produce different types of track in the future.

The alternatives required at a championship also need space and careful thought so that they are not too twisty and don’t require too much turning back.

In some places, Giuseppe has given riders choices that are only two to seven seconds more time-consuming, so they are not true direct and long routes, but genuine alternatives where riders will have to make a decision.

A team effort

Giuseppe says the course-designer should never work alone. Poland’s Marcin Konarski was the technical delegate at the Pratoni worlds and Giuseppe found he worked well with him, so when Rüdiger decided, for health reasons, to step back from Aachen and ask Giuseppe to design the worlds, Giuseppe asked Marcin to be his assistant.

“And I told Rüdiger, ‘I will accept to take over from you, but you mustn’t disappear’, so Marcin, Rüdiger and I have worked as a team, and the course-builder James Willis is part of the team too,” he says, adding that he worked with the Willis brothers as course-designer at Badminton Horse Trials from 2014 to 2016.

The technical delegate, Britain’s Philip Surl, has already visited Aachen too.

Bubby Upton and Cannavaro at Aachen 2025. (Image credit: Alamy)

And how will Giuseppe know he has done a good job? Giuseppe was pleased that in Pratoni, there were no horse falls, something he aims for again, but knows is partly down to luck. However, he says the acid test is to watch horses jumping, both on screen for an overall view and on the ground at the fences.

“Live gives you more the feeling of what is actually happening in a horse that is moving at 570 meters per minute or more – how they are working on the terrain, the strength they’re putting in, how they understand the fence, how they are turning, how quick things happen. Everything on video is always a bit more slow motion, it all always looks nicer on video than in reality, so you must go and see the real thing,” he says.

“Looking at horses jumping is the most important thing that a course-designer should do because they tell you everything. You must be on your own, not chatting.

“The big satisfaction is when I see that horses jump well, produce a good picture. Maybe sometimes they have a mistake, but the mistake is understandable. Maybe the riding was not so accurate. But when the riding is good they must produce a nice job – if everything is good and they don’t produce a nice picture, there is something that is not working.”

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‘How could this fiasco have happened with so many senior officials present?’ asks Mark Phillips

Mark Phillips — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:32:00 +0000

Mark Phillips has his say on an extraordinary situation at Royal Jump and who impressed at Bramham

A number of Brits travelled to France for Royal Jump, with courses designed by Eric Winter, two weeks before Defender Bramham Horse Trials. Little did they know what surprises lay ahead.

The CCI4*-L was a middle of the road track, but many were able to slow down early and finish 20 seconds under the time, so those that went for a minimum eligibility result for the World Championships at Aachen got a cheap qualification.

In the CCI4*-S, after rider complaints the course was re-measured and came up 247m shorter than published, so the time was altered, but not all the riders got the message. Storm Straker was expected to be the winner, only to be demoted to fifth when the time was put back to that originally listed.

In the end, the FEI reversed the decision, something I’ve never heard of before, and Storm was deservedly reinstated as the winner.

The FEI determined that it was the riders’ responsibility to have attended the riders’ meeting and understood the revised timings and so favoured the results with the re-measured time from the two sets signed off by officials onsite. Well done to eventing director Molly Day and the FEI.

But how could this fiasco have happened with so many senior officials present?

At Bramham, the course-designer and technical delegate measured the course and came out 4m different on the short and 11m on the long. In over 40 years as a designer, I’ve never been 100m apart from my technical delegate, never mind north of 200m.

The FEI make much in their seminars of teamwork among officials. At Royal Jump, that must have broken down in a catastrophic way. Someone did not do their job as an official, with unacceptable consequences for the riders.

Impressed by Andrew Heffernan

After some years away from Bramham, I was impressed by the welcome from the Lane Fox family, the organisation and the wonderful atmosphere.

I was there as a selector for the Brits and also to work with course-designer Andrew Heffernan, who showed courage, passion and empathy for the horse. He has a great future as a designer and as he becomes “flavour of the month”, he must be careful not to spread himself too thin.

I thought that Bubby Upton rode with a discretion and a maturity that seems to have taken a long time coming. Selina Milnes was impressive and Yasmin Ingham continues to show promise with Gypsie Du Loir.

And on to Germany

Having worked as the five-star course-designer at Longines Luhmühlen for more than 10 years, it’s always good to return. On arrival I was greatly saddened to hear German coach Peter Thomsen had suffered a fall while riding at home and was in hospital. His many friends will wish him a speedy recovery.

The five-star had only 20 horses, with only two from Germany. It needs more support from the home team. But when the date falls so close to an August championship, numbers are always likely to be down.

The firm footing after last year’s drought was a factor in many Brits staying away. What an irony that this year they worked harder than ever on the ground and with thunderstorms after the Verti-Drain on Thursday and Friday evenings, the going was the best ever.

As always, Mike Etherington-Smith was kind with his angles and the jumpable width at the skinnies, but there were enough questions to warrant five-star status, if “five-star minus”. Much of the riding was definitely below par for a five-star.

Caroline Harris, though, was foot perfect across the country. With this confidence, hopefully next time she will leave a little more petrol in the tank for the final day as she finished 18 seconds under the time. But she had what she needed in reserve to jump clear and win her second five-star with D. Day, with Emily King taking second place.

The Brits travelled home from Germany with smiles on their faces. Let’s hope we can repeat the process in Aachen in August!

● Which up and coming course-designers do you rate? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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‘I had no control’ and ‘I watched videos of you growing up’ – Ginny Elliot and Ros Canter meet and share Burghley memories

Pippa Roome — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:50:36 +0000

Eventing legend Ginny Elliot shared memories of her Defender Burghley Horse Trials wins when she and Ros Canter met at the venue earlier this month. Ros was there to unveil her new plinth, for her win last year with Lordships Graffalo, on Winners’ Avenue.

Every winning horse and rider at Burghley since its inception in 1961 are commemorated along the famous avenue of lime trees, in a series of plinths that are the brainchild of former event director Bill Henson.

More recently, the event has started inviting the reigning champion to view their plinth and this year the Burghley team invited Lordships Graffalo’s owners, Michele and Archie Saul, to join Ros, along with five-time Burghley winner Ginny.

“When I was growing up, I was in awe of all these names,” said Ros, who was meeting Ginny properly for the first time and added she loved watching videos of the legend when she was growing up.

The sport was quite different when Ginny was in her heyday and she shared memories from the days when Saturday involved roads and tracks and steeplechase and horses had to carry a minimum weight.

“I think I had to carry two stones of lead,” she said.

Fan favourite names such as Night Cap and Master Craftsman were in the air. Ginny said Night Cap crammed a stride into a bounce of bullfinches en route to his 1984 win and discussed forgetting the showjumping course in 1986 on Master Craftsman.

“He was really difficult showjumping; I was concentrating so hard on all the bits I had to do to help the situation and I went completely blank. But a guardian angel tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Turn right, you fool!’” she said.

Ginny later passed the grey to Ian Stark as he was too strong for her.

“I literally had no control,” remembered Ginny. “I had to wrap the reins around my hand but he kept pulling and pulling. But had he not taken off, we’d never have got inside the time and won.

“I’ve had so many hiccups; you never seem to have a hiccup… you’re just a joy to watch.”

Ros said people don’t notice that there’s always a moment of panic during every competition.

“Last year’s Burghley came with extra pressures because I was nearly five months pregnant… there is always a story behind a win and that’s what makes each one very special. It is a constant juggling act but having the children and all those extra dimensions makes me a little bit more resilient,” said Ros, who had her baby, Seneh, with her on the day.

Ginny Elliot, Lordships Graffalo’s owners Michele and Archie Saul, and Ros Canter (with her baby Seneh) on Burghley’s Winners’ Avenue. (Image credit: Alex Salam/Burghley Horse Trials)

Ginny concluded: “Ros is an extraordinary competitor and rider – one of the best I’ve seen for a very long time. The fact she thinks I might have had an influence is very nice for me, but she is extraordinary, and she’ll be there for a long time to come.”

Event director Martyn Johnson added: “Winners’ Avenue is synonymous with Burghley’s history and unique within our sport. It was very special to bring together past and present Burghley champions to reflect on how becoming a Burghley champion changes your life, and to be joined by Lordships Graffalo’s owners Archie and Michele Saul, who, like Ros, are Lincolnshire-based.

“As Ginny said, the heart always beats a little faster when you arrive at Burghley. It’s truly a special place for any equestrian fan and particularly special for those who have won here.”

To book Burghley Horse Trials tickets, visit burghley-horse.co.uk/tickets
Read more about Ros’s competition mindset and how she overcame a confidence crisis in our upcoming exclusive interview in 16 July issue of Horse & Hound magazine. To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘Pain is only in your head’: injured Olympian still targeting World Championships

Pippa Roome — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 09:25:03 +0000

Belgian Olympian Lara de Liedekerke-Meier has been injured, breaking her collarbone in a fall at Marbach in May – but the World Championships are still her aim.

Lara was riding La La Land D’Arville, a nine-year-old home-bred out of her first championship horse Nooney Blue, in the Nations Cup class when the accident happened.

“She is the smallest of Nooney’s offspring but she doesn’t think like that – she’s opinionated,” said Lara.

“I wanted five strides off the drop to the skinny and she thought four was good, so it was a little miscommunication. She didn’t do anything wrong but she slid into it and we ended up falling.”

The mare was not injured in the fall and Lara de Liedekerke-Meier has since ridden her in the four-star short at Kronenberg this month, finishing third.

Lara broke her left collarbone, an injury she also suffered in 2024.

“I’m being helped by the surgeon who operated on me then, but we decided not to do surgery now because we’re not sure how the body will react and there is time pressure before the World Championships,” said Lara.

“If I can’t go there, it puts a lot of pressure on next year for Belgium to try to qualify for the 2028 Olympics – when you are from a small nation, you have to try as hard as you can to make it happen.”

Lara is riding with a brace around her shoulders and says it’s “not the most comfortable, but I can do all the movements”.

She may have surgery later in the year, possibly after the World Championships, or she may wait until after the Nations Cup final at Boekelo and the young horse World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers in October.

“I’m working with the physio for the Belgian national rugby team, so he’s seen more complicated broken collarbones – and when you’ve given birth to children, pain is only in your head!” she said.

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National coach and Olympic gold medallist ‘on the road to recovery’ in hospital after riding fall

Becky Murray — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 12:13:27 +0000

German national eventing coach and double Olympic team gold medallist Peter Thomsen is being treated in hospital following a riding fall.

The German equestrian federation said Peter, 65, is “on the road to recovery” from the accident on 14 June.

“He has been receiving medical treatment in hospital ever since. His health has improved significantly in recent days,” said a federation spokesperson yesterday (22 June).

“Due to the fall, Peter was unable to attend the German championships in Luhmühlen last weekend. The coaching team took over his duties there, supported by team manager Dr Annette Wyrwoll of Equestrian Sport Germany.”

The spokesperson added that the federation’s eventing coaching team will “continue to provide athletic support for the national team athletes in the coming weeks”.

“Rodolphe Scherer, eventing coach, will temporarily assume the role of head coach, particularly with regard to the final selection and nomination process for the World Championships in Aachen in August,” he said.

“He will be assisted by dressage coach Anne-Kathrin Pohlmeier and showjumping coach Lara Weber, as well as eventing specialist and under-25 youth coach Andreas Dibowski. This arrangement will remain in place until further notice.”

Peter enjoyed a highly successful eventing career before he took over as national eventing coach following Hans Melzer’s retirement at the end of 2021.

He won team gold at the 2008 Olympics with The Ghost of Hamish, and was part of the gold medal-winning team at London 2012 with Barny. He competed in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, seven European Championships and four World Equestrian Games. He was seventh in his final four-star event in 2020, and competed up to CCI2* until spring 2022.

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‘The most genuine horse’: Olympic gelding retains his Luhmühlen title, plus Andrew Hoy among those to impress

Becky Murray — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:05:22 +0000

Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel are back-to-back German national champions after topping the Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy results.

Julia and Bernd Heicke’s 12-year-old gelding added .8 of a time-penalty to their 26.9 two-phase score, to complete on 27.7.

“He jumped mega, and I couldn’t have done anything better this week,” said Julia, who has put herself in a brilliant position for selection for the World Championships in Aachen later this summer.

“He is the most genuine horse I’ve ever had. He just never thinks of doing something other than what’s in front of him. He loves Luhmühlen and he loves the crowd.

“I think it’s exactly what we needed to get him hyped up, and hopefully prepped for bigger things this summer.”

The showjumping track tested combinations right to the end, producing only seven clear rounds inside the time from 40 starters. One of those was from Julia and her other ride, Michael Sperl’s 12-year-old Tullabeg Platinum, who finished second on a score of 34.4.

“I knew I could have a pole or two and had some time [spare] with Nickel, but obviously you want your horse to jump clear,” said Julia.

“I had a very good round with Tullabeg and that gave me quite a lot of confidence.”

Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Bodil Ipsen’s 14-year-old Carlitos Quidditch K rounded off an all-German podium after jumping clear with .8 of a time-penalty, finishing just behind Julia and Tullabeg on 34.6. They too will be vying for a spot in Aachen this summer.

Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy results: the top six

Switzerland’s Nadja Minder and Top Job’s Jalisco, owned by Peter Attinger and Martin Zak, enjoyed an incredible climb from 32nd after the dressage to finish fourth. They were the quickest cross-country round yesterday, where no one made the optimum time, to add .4 of a time-penalty to their 35.1 dressage. Today that same speed and precision earned them a clear showjumping round.

Belgium’s Lara De Liedekerke-Meier and her home-bred Kiarado d’Arville had a frustrating pole and 1.6 time-faults to drop them from overnight third to fifth.

Eight-time Olympian Andrew Hoy and 17-year-old Vassily De Lassos were another big climber, rising from 16th after dressage to finish sixth. The reliable pair showjumped clear inside the time to finish on 37.5, having added just 4.8 cross-country time-faults to their dressage score.

Ahead of the weekend Andrew confirmed to H&H that he came to Luhmühlen Horse Trials with his eyes on a team spot at the World Championships. If selected, it will be their fourth championships together

“With him being healthy and me being healthy, if he’s feeling well and got the performances, then that’s something we want to do. Vassily is a horse that just absolutely loves competition,” said Andrew.

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‘A privilege to have this horse as a friend’: British five-star first-timer achieves top-10 finish at Luhmühlen

Becky Murray — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 13:03:18 +0000

Britain’s Harry Horton has discussed his journey to five-star with “friend” Cooley With Ambition after their 10th place completion at Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials today (21 June).

Harry and Cooley With Ambition completed their five-star debut on a final score of 71.1 score. They added just time-faults to their 33.5 dressage mark; 35.6 across country and two showjumping time-penalties.

Harry has guided 11-year-old “Dash” up the levels, having bought him as a four-year-old from Richard Sheen at Cooley Farm.

Harry said Dash has been “a joy to produce”. The pair did their first international at Osberton in 2021 and have worked their way up the levels.

“We’ve done everything together. Every level I’ve got to, I’ve been delighted that he’s made it to the next one. He’s a very special horse,” said 30-year-old Harry.

“You always want to do the next level and I said to my wife if I haven’t done a four-star by the time I’m 30, I won’t do it anymore. But now I’ve done a five-star. That’s it, the bug is even stronger than it was before.”

Harry Horton has had a great support team around him leading up to Luhmühlen Horse Trials with groom Lee Honeysett and Dash’s owners Ballinger Equine and the Ambition Syndicate.

“My owners have all been supporters from day dot,” said Harry.

“The Ambition Syndicate is made up of some family members and owners of previous horses, and Susanna at Ballinger Equine has been my vet for the last 10 years and looked after Dash since we bought him. They’ve been great supporters all the way through.”

Harry receives help from trainers Eric Smiley, John Adams and Helene Brackman.

“Eric has helped me a lot recently, and John helps with the jumping. Helene has been an incredible influence on my career,” said Harry, who has also been taken under the wing of top five-star rider Jonelle Price.

“Jonelle helps me with the cross-country and she keeps me on the straight and narrow. She’s incredibly generous with her expertise and time. I can’t thank her enough for the time she gives me at the big ones.”

Harry not only has enjoyed a top-10 finish at his first five-star, but has kept Dash’s international jumping record blemish-free.

“He’s made it all the way through to five-star without ever having a jumping fault on his FEI record. It was slightly on my conscience that the record existed – I want to keep it up,” laughs Harry.

“It’s a nice record to have, but it’s horrible to have on your mind in the morning before showjumping.”

Harry is in no doubt of the achievement in getting a horse to the top level.

“It’s a total privilege to have a horse at five-star, especially when I’ve had him since he was four,” he said.

“The first good feeling is making it to the event with a fit horse, then it’s just ticking off each phase as we go.”

Harry believes there’s more to come from this talented horse.

“I truly believe that I’ve got a horse far more capable than than top 10, and he showed that this week,” said Harry.

“It’s an absolute privilege to ride him – and to have him as a friend.”

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‘The horse bred to happy hack has gone and won two five-stars’: delight as British rider tops Luhmühlen podium

Becky Murray — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 12:25:04 +0000

Britain’s Caroline Harris and D. Day are double five-star winners after they topped the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials results today (21 June).

“My god, that horse is just something else. He gives me 1,000% every time, and I can’t ask for anything more of him,” said an emotional Caroline.

Caroline and the 12-year-old, who she owns with Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier, Marie Anne Richardson and Heather Royle, had just 2.7 penalties in hand going into the showjumping, and the clock was proving tight for some, but the Billy Mexico gelding produced a faultless round.

“I just trust him implicitly,” said Caroline. “I know he’s going to try and never want to touch a fence. He will give me everything. I just try to focus on getting a good canter, keeping the rhythm and not thinking about winning.

“Like in cross-country, you can ride him very quick and he likes it. The tighter the time, the better for me, because I know that he’s good with that.

“He loves the crowd so when everyone starts clapping, it’s great for him because he thinks: ‘Oh everyone’s here to watch me’, so it was great to come in after Emily [King] had jumped so well.”

Caroline and D. Day are now double five-star champions having topped Pau in 2024.

“The little horse that was bred to be a happy hack has gone and won two five-stars. I never thought this horse was a five-star horse, so I take that back,” said Caroline.

“He’s just all heart. He’s not the most talented, but he gives you absolutely everything. And that’s more than you could ever want.”

Caroline said despite her success she still doubts herself – and she would tell her younger self to “keep going and be determined”.

“I still doubt myself every day. It’s quite nice to prove that Pau wasn’t a fluke,” she said.

“I’ve worked very, very hard – and taken a lot to keep believing, but we got there eventually.”

Five-star Luhmühlen Horse Trials results: podium places

Emily King and 17-year-old Valmy Biats, owned by Emily and her father David, kept the pressure on Caroline and D. Day when they showjumped clear to finish second.

“He’s incredible. On paper he’s a little bit older but my goodness, he feels like he’s seven,” said Emily.

“The whole team; our vet Liz, physio Vicky, the trainers, every year they’re saying: ‘He feels better and better and younger and younger’. He’s like a Benjamin Button story; he’s getting younger and feeling better.”

Emily King and Valmy Biats finish second in the five-star Luhmühlen Horse Trials. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Emily said it’s Valmy’s “grit” that makes him so special.

“He fights for you every day, and his heart’s incredible,” she said.

“He loves his job. He’s obviously a super athlete in his physique, but he gets up every morning and he wants to work. In those tough moments in each phase, he grits his teeth and gives you more.

“You never feel ‘This is getting a bit hard’, he just keeps fighting, it’s an honour to work with horses like that. Today he kept the rideability and had so much energy, he was on springs.”

Boyd Martin finishes third

Completing the podium was US rider Boyd Martin and Shanroe Cooley, owned by Dallas LLC. They completed on 38.1 at the 11-year-old’s first-five star, having posted a superb double clear with just 2.4 cross-country time-penalties yesterday.

“I’m very pleased,” said Boyd, who took on Shanroe from Liz Halliday following her accident.

“Obviously it’s huge effort to come all the way from America to Luhmühlen, I’m grateful to the owners and supporters and the coaches of Shanroe for giving it a whirl because it’s a massive project coming across the ocean.”

Boyd said he did not know what to expect of Shanroe at his first five-star.

“I’ve done one four-star long on him last year and he was pretty good, but then this year, he’s just been brilliant in all the lead-up events,” he said.

“Every time we’ve competed together we’ve started to click a little bit more, then to come to Luhmühlen and finish in the top three next to Caroline and Emily, he exceeded my expectations. I really didn’t know what to expect, whether he’d get through it or not, then to be on the podium, I’m very proud of the horse and thankful to the team around him.”

Boyd said competing in a five-star is “a bit like running a marathon”.

“There’s sort of part of you that just wants to finish, and then the other part is: ‘I want to try to win this thing’. There’s a huge difference in how you ride or how hard you push if you’re trying to be competitive,” he explained.

“I was sort of in two minds whether we should just try and get across the finish line, but then once he started off yesterday, I thought, ‘Oh, screw it. Let’s have a crack at it’.

“He really showed me that championship heart that he has. To dig deep all the way around, and then to come out today and jump a clear round, I’m just absolutely thrilled with him.”

Five-star Luhmühlen Horse Trials results: top five

Jonelle Price and David and Karie Thomson’s 14-year-old gelding Capitaine De Hus Z finished fourth, and two poles dropped Jonelle and the Grape Syndicate’s Grappa Nera down to eighth.

Hallie Coon and Kapriccio jumped clear for fifth. Britain’s Harry Horton posted a brilliant clear round, with two time-faults, to finish 10th with Ballinger Equine and the Ambition Syndicate’s Cooley With Ambition at their first five-star.

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Two horses sent to the holding box and three withdraw before Luhmühlen final trot-up

Becky Murray — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 09:02:33 +0000

All 15 horses have passed the CCI5* Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials final horse inspection this morning and proceed to the final showjumping phase – but the CCI4*-S loses three competitors.

The small five-star field presented before the ground jury of Britain’s Nick Burton, Austria’s Christian Steiner and Edith Scless-Stortenbecker of Germany, all looked fresh and well after yesterday’s cross-country. No one was sent to the holding box.

Seven nations remain represented in the five-star competition; Britain, France, Ireland, Germany, New Zealand and the USA.

Caroline Harris and D. Day pictured in the CCI5* Luhmühlen Horse Trials final horse inspection. Credit Peter Nixon. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Britain holds the top two places going into the final phase. The pressure is on overnight leaders Caroline Harris and D. Day (owned by Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier, Marie Anne Richardson and Heather Royle) – they come forward on a score of 31.1.

Only 2.7 penalties separate Caroline and D. Day and Emily King with Valmy Biats, owned by Emily and her father David, who are on a two-phase score of 33.8. US rider Boyd Martin and Shanroe Cooley, owned by Dallac LLC, are in third on 38.1.

Brits Harry Horton and Cooley With Ambition, owned by Ballinger Equine and the Ambition Syndicate, are on their way to their first five-star completion. The pair are 10th going into the showjumping.

CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy Luhmühlen Horse Trials final horse inspection

Forty horses were presented before the ground jury of Joachim Dimmek and Joanne Jarden in the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy.

Two horses were sent to the holding box; Germany’s Anna Haag and her own Little Caterpillar and New Zealand’s Daniel Jocelyn with his own and Panda Christie’s Blackthorn Cruise. Both were accepted on re-inspection.

Finnish rider Axel Lindberg was asked to trot up Maria Lucander-Aminoff’s 11-year-old mare Quelle Bonne a second time, but was then passed.

Three horses did not come forward to the Luhmühlen Horse Trials final horse inspection. Hannah Klep and her own Tulara Chicouve and home side rider Felix Etzel withdrew Ulrike Malter’s TSF Polartanz. Hannah was 39th after the cross-country and Felix was in 12th. The other withdrawal is US rider Cosby Green, who was lying in ninth with her family’s Highly Suspicious.

Defending champions Germany’s Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel are on the cusp of back-to-back wins, they go into the final phase on a score of 26.9. Julia and Nickel have a 4.2 penalty buffer ahead of Belgium’s Lara de Liederkerke-Meier and home-bred Kiarado D’Arville, owned by Five Star Eventers and Larga Sprl, who are in second on 31.1. Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Bodil Ipsen’s 14-year-old Carlitos Quidditch K jumped proceed to the showjumping in provisional third, 33.8.

The CCI5* showjumping takes place at 10.25 UK time (11.25am local). The CCI4*-S showjumping begins at 1.10pm UK time (2.10pm local).

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World Championship selection plays on riders’ minds in influential Luhmühlen CCI4*-S cross-country

Becky Murray — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 17:19:06 +0000

Germany’s Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel have maintained their lead following the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy cross-country at Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials.

The defending champions are on track to retain their crown having jumped clear around course-designer Mike Etherington Smith’s track, adding just four time-penalties to their superb 22.9 dressage. Not only does this class decide the German national eventing champion, but team selectors have their eyes peeled ahead of the World Championships in August.

Julia described Bernd Heicke’s 12-year-old gelding’s round as “faultless”.

“He’s really pro at this level,” said Julia. “I was very happy that I didn’t take too many pulls and could really just ride him very fluent, which is how he can be quick.

“He doesn’t have the highest speed, but he’s really always on the lines. He’s just a very genuine horse.”

The withdrawal of Isabel English and Cil Dara Dallas before the Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4-S cross-country left 50 starters. Of these, 37 jumped clear but no one made the 6min 40sec optimum time, on what was a hot and humid day in Germany. Switzerland’s Nadja Minder and Top Job’s Jalisco were the closest, coming home a second over to incur .4 of a time-penalty – putting them into overnight fifth on 35.5.

Julia’s other ride Tullabeg Platinum, owned by Michael Sperl, had 7.2 time-penalties, which dropped them from third to overnight fourth.

“The time was very tight, it always is at Luhmühlen, so it didn’t surprise me that no one made it inside,” said Julia.

“Tullabeg is a bit less experienced at this level, and has a massive jump and stride, so needed a bit more adjustment and preparation here and there. He answered everything perfectly and felt very comfortable in the atmosphere. Both horses were phenomenal.”

“I’m aiming for Aachen”

Belgium’s Lara De Liedekerke-Meier stopped the clocked at 6min 50sec for four time-penalties on her home-bred Kiarado d’Arville. This boosted them from fourth after the dressage to second ahead of tomorrow’s final phase.

“I’m really happy. He’s a 10-year-old and although he’s done a lot already, he’s never come to an event like here at Luhmühlen,” said Lara.

“I’m aiming him for Aachen, if everything stays the way I hope. That’s why we came here, I think it’s a little bit similar. It’s a twisty track and it’s a bit like we’re going to have I think, so everything is in preparation for the next couple of weeks.”

Cross-country pathfinders Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Bodil Ipsen’s 14-year-old Carlitos Quidditch K jumped clear with 6.8 time-faults. This dropped them from second after the dressage to provisional third ahead of the showjumping.

New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington had mixed fortunes across country. She opted to retire her first ride Delarado (owned by Rachel Bessell, Kate Maitland, the McGrigor family and Samantha), who had been lying in overnight sixth, after a miscommunication at fence 14a.

“I was just missing a little bit of match practice with Delarado and came a little too keen out of the start box so unfortunately she wasn’t quite with me,” Samantha told H&H.

“She’s been a little bit light on work the last month or so and probably missed a little bit of training, and I guess it showed today. We’ve got a little bit of homework to do before she comes out again.”

Later in the afternoon Samantha jumped a super clear with Lucas Stone, owned by Fiona Edwards, Neil Robertson, David Taylor, the Dubowskis and Samantha. The pair incurred 8.8 time-faults to move down the leaderboard from sixth after the dressage to 11th.

“Luca was great, there’s a fair amount of pressure in these last couple of events before the selection for the World Championships, so I think I probably just had that in the back of my mind,” said Samantha.

“It was a lot of pressure to cope with, but I’m really pleased to get the job done and come home safe, and hopefully post a good score on the board tomorrow.”

Eight-time Olympian Andrew Hoy on the Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S cross-country

Australia’s Andrew Hoy is another rider bidding for World Championship selection, with the experienced double Olympic medallist Vassily De Lassos, owned by Dreams Come True V LLC-owned. They stopped the clock on 6min 52sec for 4.8 time-faults, having jumped all the obstacles clear.

Andrew told H&H it was “a very good course”.

“Mike Etherington-Smith’s courses always walk beautifully, and then when you come to ride them, they always ride a fraction stronger than they walk,” he said.

“It was a proper four-star course, no one got the time but if you rode well, the fences jumped well, so that was really good.”

Andrew gave full credit to 17-year-old Vassily De Lassos.

“He’s just an exceptional horse in all areas,” said Andrew. “I’m very privileged to ride a horse like that, who I’ve got a 10-year relationship with.”

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‘I wanted to put everything right – I think we did today’: British rider finds redemption with phenomenal Luhmühlen five-star cross-country

Becky Murray — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 15:08:08 +0000

Britain’s Caroline Harris and D. Day are on the brink of a second five-star title after posting the fastest Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials cross-country round of the day.

Caroline and the 12-year-old Billy Mexico gelding rode the only clear inside the 11-minute optimum time – stopping the clock with 18 seconds to spare – to move from fourth after the dressage into the overnight lead.

Caroline told H&H she was “over the moon” with D. Day, owned by Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier, Marie Anne Richardson and Heather Royle, following the Luhmühlen Horse Trials five-star cross-country.

“He was incredible,” she said. “He’s pretty small, and I think it really helps on a course like this because he’s so nippy and easy to turn.

“He’s never strong and he comes back to me, he’s very polite to ride. His mum was full Thoroughbred, so he has got a lot of blood and really does gallop. He’s the easiest horse to go quick on.”

Cross-country course-designer Mike Etherington-Smith’s technical track gave the riders plenty to think about. Of the 20 cross-country starters, 15 completed and nine jumped clear with time-faults.

The second fastest round came from Frenchman Benjamin Massie with the 10-year-old Upsilon daughter Guess Star, who was a second over the optimum time, for overnight sixth.

“It definitely rode very, very intense – but to be fair, everything rode exactly how I walked it,” said Caroline.

“I think it’s probably one of the only rounds I’ve ever had where everything really did come up exactly how I wanted it to.”

On the whole, the course did not cause too many problems, but the Mesmer Pond – which included fences 11, 12ab, and 13ab – proved tricky for some. Five combinations had faults at the arrowhead at 12b, including world number one Tim Price, who parted ways from Happy Boy, when he ran out the side.

Caroline said this was one of the trickiest combinations on course.

“It walked a very long six or a short seven. It was really big, up to height and wide. I think if the horse wasn’t confident and committed, then it was just very easy to slip out and not jump it,” she said.

“From there all the way home, every single combination, there was lot. You had to really think your way around and I came into each combination thinking about what Dickie Waygood and Chris Bartle had told me to do.

“I think if you rode it exactly how you walked it, it rode really well. You just had to be on it the whole way.”

Caroline Harris: “I wanted to put everything right”

Caroline and D. Day already have a five-star title to their name, having won Pau in 2024 – but Caroline has not forgotten about her frustrating fall at the home Europeans last September.

“I did feel there was quite a lot of pressure on us [at Luhmühlen], everyone was talking about how we were the quickest in the field – and I messed up at Blenheim, so I really wanted to put everything right,” she said.

“I feel I truly did that today. He was just phenomenal from start to finish.

“He is the ultimate trier. There is nothing exceptional about him, he’s not the most big-moving horse, he wouldn’t be the scopiest, but he’s all heart and gives me 110% every single time. I couldn’t ask for more than that.”

Dressage leaders Emily King and Valmy Biats jumped clear in the Luhmühlen Horse Trials five-star cross-country with 6.8 time-faults, which saw them slip into provisional second. Emily was initially given nine penalties for a missed flag at the Sternpartner Water fence 20b, an arrowhead, but following review, these were removed.

“I’m super pleased with Valmy,” said Emily, who owns the 17-year-old with her father David.

“He’s an amazingly brave horse, which can sometimes make him a little bit hard to ride. I’ve fallen into that trap a few times around some bigger events, so I just wanted to think a little bit extra for him around the course.”

Emily had to give Valmy a bit more encouragement than usual as they navigated the 27 fences.

“I don’t know if it was the heat, but he was a little bit quieter today. This crazy lion that I’m usually trying to navigate around the course was not so ‘liony’,” said Emily.

“I suddenly had to start kicking and flapping, and basically had to adapt a bit. When you have your plan and the horses are exactly how they normally are and it just happens seamlessly, it’s the most amazing feeling – but it’s not always the case. It was a bit like that with Valmy today.”

Emily said overall Valmy was “super”.

“Maybe the strides and the approach wasn’t quite as I imagined with some of them, but he was so good on the fences,” she said.

“He was quick with his legs, really straight, jumped everything, and came through the finish super quick. I’m really pleased.”

Luhmühlen Horse Trials five-star cross-country: Boyd Martin holds third

US rider Boyd Martin and Shanroe Cooley, owned by Dallas LLC, climbed from 11th after the dressage to provisional third.

The four-time Olympian expertly piloted the 11-year-old gelding – a former ride of Liz Halliday – round his first-five star to come home just six seconds over the optimum time. They added 2.4 time-penalties to their scorecard to carry 38.1 into the showjumping.

“I’m thrilled with him,” said Boyd, who took on the ride following Liz’s accident.

“I was sort of on the fence about whether to take the horse on. He’s a bigger, heavier horse than what I usually go for, but Liz has done a magnificent job producing him. There’s not that many out there that have the grit and determination that Shanroe has.

“I really didn’t know what to expect here, we came wondering if he’s a five-star horse. We kept going through the track, and I was thinking to myself, ‘Hey, he’s feeling pretty good’. Then I was looking at my watch thinking, ‘We’re in this’.

“The last couple of minutes he started to tire a bit, but he just grit his teeth and pricked his ears. I’ve got so much admiration for these horses. They really are true competitors. He really fought hard for me.”

Boyd said he was “thrilled” for Shanroe and his owners.

“Most importantly I’m thrilled for Liz. This has been a horse with a crazy story and to have a successful round at five-star is a great accomplishment,” he said.

“I’ve got half of America texting my phone at the moment. He’s got a massive following, all of Liz’s students and fans and all of her owners are cheering this horse on. I think I’ve got to reply to about 400 text messages.”

Luhmühlen Horse Trials five-star cross-country: the rest of the top 10

Pathfinders Jonelle Price and the Grape Syndicate’s Grappa Nera lie in fourth, having collected 4.4 time-penalties across country. Jonelle is fifth with David and Karie Thomson’s Capitaine de Hus de Z, who stopped the clock on 11min 18 sec, for 7.2 time-penalties.

The Thomson’s have another horse in the top 10, Dallas 13, who was given a super run round his first five-star by James Avery. The pair were third after the dressage and lie ninth overnight on 46.6, having accrued 11-penalties for activating the MIM clip at the second part of the Luhmühlen Kombination (fence 22ab) plus six time-faults.

British-based US rider Hallie Coon and her own Kapriccio were another to activate the safety device at this fence, and along with 4.4 time-penalties, they go into the showjumping phase in seventh.

Home side rider Katharina Meyer and Aspen T were among the jumping clears. They stopped the clock on 11min 11sec to add 4.4 time-faults to their 41.4 dressage, for overnight eighth.

“Every inch the five-star horse”

Britain’s Harry Horton and Cooley With Ambition round out the top 10 having jumped a brilliant clear at their first five-star. Harry guided Ballinger Equine and the Ambition Syndicate’s 11-year-old home with 35.6 time-penalties.

“He was class. He was absolutely phenomenal,” Harry told H&H.

“The plan was to go all the direct routes, but he got a little tired so I improvised a little bit at the end and took the longer route at the last combination. He felt every inch the five-star horse.”

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‘The best he’s felt’: British rider on top at Luhmühlen five-star after dressage

Becky Murray — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:12:11 +0000

Emily King and Valmy Biats are bidding for their first five-star victory as they sit at the top of the leaderboard following the conclusion of the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage.

Emily and the 17-year-old Selle Francais gelding, who she owns with her father David, scored 27 to put them ahead of yesterday’s leaders Hallie Coon and Kapriccio, by 0.8 of a penalty.

“I feel very lucky. He’s such a sweetheart of a horse, I’ve had him for years now. I know him so well and he knows me so well,” said Emily.

“It’s a bit of a hindrance at times because he’s so finely tuned to me, he’s so rideable that he sometimes guesses what’s going to happen.”

Emily said Valmy Biats “felt super” in the arena.

“I’m so pleased we didn’t drop any marks. He’s a very hot, sensitive horse, and sometimes when I really go for it we have a few little mistakes,” she said.

“I maybe went a notch down with really showing off as I really wanted to have a clean test. I’m so glad that he stayed with me and I didn’t mess it up. When I went in the crowd gave an awesome cheer to welcome you, but with ones like Val who is a bit sensitive, I had to say ‘Good boy’, and gave him a bit longer before he went in.”

Emily King said she approached her Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage warm-up differently owing to the warm weather in Germany.

“At about 7am this morning I gave him a good stretch, and I only gave him about 20 minutes [in the warm-up before the test] just to try and not do too much with him,” she said.

“It felt like the perfect balance. He felt the best he’s felt, so it was nice to be rewarded.”

New Zealand’s James Avery is third overnight on five-star first-timer Dallas 13. James has produced David and Karie Thomson’s 12-year-old Dimaggio gelding up the levels from a six-year-old. The pair come to Luhmühlen following a good run at Royal Jump, where they were 11th in the CCI4*-S.

“It’s his first five-star; he’s done three four-star longs now so he’s ready,” James told H&H.

“We had a fairly quiet last year due to me, not him, so we didn’t get much mileage in. He was pretty green off the back of last season, and as much as Badminton would have been awesome, we were a bit behind, so we chose to come here.”

James and Dallas scored 29.6 in the dressage.

“He’s dressage-bred so it’s about time I learn how to do dressage on him. What we’ve practised is now starting to come through to the ring, which is really rewarding,” said James.

“I’m really pleased and looking forward to tomorrow. It’s a good course and he should settle in well to it. There’s loads of questions; it’s combination after combination after combination – which is the difference between five- and four-star, so we’ll see how he gets on.”

Brit Caroline Harris “thrilled” after dressage

There are 20 combinations in this CCI5*, seven of which are British. Pau 2024 winners Caroline Harris and D. Day, owned by Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier, Marie Anne Richardson and Heather Royle, are fourth after the dressage on 31.1. World number one Tim Price makes up the top five with Susan Lamb, Therese Miller and his own Happy Boy, on 31.7.

Caroline told H&H she was “thrilled” with D.Day.

“Dressage wouldn’t be his forte, he’s not a big moving horse but he was a really good boy and tried super hard,” she said.

“I made a couple of little mistakes but there were bits that were some of his best work. He loves being at a big party, it’s his favourite thing.”

Caroline said cross-country course-designer Mike Etherington-Smith’s track looks “very technical”.

“It’s intense. From about fence 10 all the way home you don’t really get a breather,” she said. “It’s very twisty and turny, so there’s a lot to do and I think the time is going to be very tight as well.”

Caroline said her Luhmühlen preparations have gone to plan.

“He’s felt brilliant this spring, probably the best he’s ever felt,” said Caroline.

“He had a super run at Belsay where he came second in the four-star to London 52, so we were really thrilled with that. He had a good run at Kronenberg four-star, he’s just felt really confident and happy, and just a lot stronger than he was last year.

“It’s great to be back at a big three-day with him. We’ll go out tomorrow and try to do our best.”

British five-star first-timer Harry Horton

British five-star first-timers Harry Horton and Cooley With Ambition, owned by Harry and the Ambition Syndicate, were first down the centre line in this afternoon’s CCI5* session. They scored a respectable 33.5, for eighth place ahead of the second phase.

Harry told H&H he was “delighted”.

“It went better than I expected, he’s been a little bit on edge since the start of the week. He’s very capable of doing a good test, but we’ve never really been able to put everything together on the same day, but I feel like we managed today,” he said.

“I got to go in there and enjoy it, which isn’t a feeling that I often get in the dressage. I enjoyed it, there was a good atmosphere and it felt very special.”

Harry joked that the good test has left him “feeling more nervous about tomorrow”.

“There’s plenty to jump, but he’s a good cross-country horse. We’ve just got to be able to cope with the heat and intensity,” he said.

Harry bought Cooley With Ambition as a four-year-old from Richard Sheen at Cooley Farm.

“It’s a total privilege to have a horse at this level. We’ve done everything together; my first four-star, now my first five-star,” said Harry.

“He’s a very special horse. He’s been a joy to produce, and he’s definitely my favourite.”

The other Brit in the top 10 is Stephen Heal and Hagonda, who are ninth with 33.6. Sam Ecroyd and Mister Big Ears is =11th with Boyd Martin and Shanroe Cooley, Emma Thomas and The Buzz Factor are 16th on 38; all three of these horses are making their five-star debut. Sam Gillespie and But Not Till Now are 17th overnight on 38.4.

Cross-country day

Jonelle Price and Grappa Nera will set off as cross-country pathfinders tomorrow at 9am UK time (10am local). Emma and The Buzz Factor will be first out for the Brits at 9.10am UK time (9.10am local) and Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage leaders Emily King and Valmy Biats are third last to go at 10.30am (11.30am local).

The CCI4*-S cross-country begins at 1.26pm UK time (2.26pm local) with Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp due out first with Callfield. 2025 Luhmühlen CCI4*-S winners Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel hold the overnight lead.

Check out the cross-country times.

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‘That’s so Weasel!’ Little horse with huge personality caught on camera enjoying cross-country snack

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:19:46 +0000

Meet Night Prowler, a little horse with a heart of a lion and all the scope in the world – who likes to enjoy a floral snack while going across country.

1st Class Images caught the moment Weasel, as he’s known to his friends, took advantage of his approach to the combination at fence 18abc of the Defender Bramham Horse Trials CCI4*-L last weekend to take a mouthful of the flowers dressing the fence.

Yvette Wheeler, who owns the 11-year-old ridden by Jack Mantel, told H&H that if ever there were a horse to be caught on camera like this, Weasel is the one.

“We didn’t realise how good the pictures were till we zoomed in,” she said. “David, Jack’s groom, said ‘I’m buying both those photos and framing them’, and we looked, and started laughing and said ‘Yes, that’s so Weasel’.”

Yvette said she bought the Irish-bred gelding for herself and another rider to share, a few years ago.

“I was going to do fun stuff and he was going to event him,” she said. “But the other person injured himself and couldn’t event him. And the fitter and weller Weasel got, the cheekier he got. I’m 57, 58 and he got to the point I’d come back from riding thinking ‘I’m glad I’m still on top’! He can spin, he can rear; he’d be ‘You’re not concentrating on me – wham’.

“I know Jack really well, I’ve had horses with him, so I asked if he’d take the ride and he said yes.”

Jack and Night Prowler started at BE100 level and worked their way up, completing their first four-star short at the end of last season. This was their first CCI4*-L, and they cleared all the cross-country jumps on the course – although the results don’t show this.

“He finished and we were washing him off and Jack wondered whether he’d caught a flag at the second-last fence,” Yvette said. “But it turned out there was a big bit in the middle of the fence that was about six feet high, and he’d jumped that, rather than the bit he was supposed to jump.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“The horse just locked on to that bit so we went from running to the finish saying ‘He’s just gone clear in his first four-star long’, ecstatic, to realising it was technical elimination. Jack had always said it’s a big ask for a little horse, but he just flew round.

“So we were gutted, walking round with sad faces, then we saw this picture and it just made us laugh, it couldn’t have been better in that situation.”

Yvette added that she and Jack were both delighted that Weasel did jump clear, albeit over a higher fence than he was supposed to.

“He’s so brave, he will take anything on, you just have to be careful where you aim him!” she said.

“He’s one of those horses when you’re at a competition everyone knows his name within three hours as it’s all ‘Weasel, can you not…?’!” she said. “He wants to grab your hood and pull you around; there’s no malice or nastiness, we all just laugh at him. It’s nice when they’ve got so much character.”

Yvette said she hopes the incident will have been caught on the official video, which she has ordered, and that a spectator might also possibly have caught it, as she would love to see that too.

The fence at which the photos were taken caused some issues and was removed late on cross-country day after the ground on take-off deteriorated, but Jack told H&H Night Prowler had no difficulty with it.

“It was the big skinny after the drop and a lot of horses made mistakes but he was super bold, stood off the skinny and went through the brush element,” he said. “The picture looks like he’s bitten a mouthful of flowers off as he went through.

“He’s orange, the flowers are orange and we had a Hyco numnah, a new sponsor to me, and their brand is orange as well, so it was all quite fitting!”

Jack said he and Weasel had a great round other than the second-last fence.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

“Being very bold, he jumped the middle bit,” he said. “We were a bit gutted not to get the qualification but the horse is none the wiser – in his mind he jumped clear – and it did give us a smile to see those pictures as he’s quite a character.”

Jack said the horse was “a bit troubled” three years ago when he arrived.

“Yvette’s been brilliant and we’ve got him right,” he said. “He was doing one-stars less than three years ago and now he’s jumping round four-star long.

“He’s only 16.1hh and has always just done enough but the bigger and wider [it gets], he just keeps on going and he gave me a really good feeling. He’s jumped double clear all season and he’s only 11 so hopefully we can keep going up the grades.”

Picture by 1st Class Images (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Jack said Weasel is also a very good showjumper; his plan for the immediate future is to compete in pure dressage.

“He is a little bit exuberant in his changes,” he said. “On Thursday, he was doing a lovely test, then he did do three large bucks, which was interesting! So, there’s a bit of homework to do on that, but he enjoys a party. Then we’ll probably do an OI somewhere, and then Burgham four-star, and probably the Scone four-star long, potentially Blenheim.”

“We’re thrilled with him,” Jack added. “And we’ve got the pictures for the wall.”

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‘He feels amazing’: eight-time Olympian confirms he is aiming for World Championships with Tokyo medallist – as they hope to impress at Luhmühlen

Becky Murray — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:15:39 +0000

Andrew Hoy has confirmed that he has the World Championships in his sights as he hopes to impress Australian selectors with his Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials performance.

The eight-time Olympian is contesting the Luhmühlen CCI4*-S with his double Tokyo medallist 17-year-old Vassily De Lassos, who he owns with Dreams Come True V LLC.

The pair – who have a combined age of 84 – look on super form. They had small blip in the right counter canter transition in their dressage and finished on a score of 32.7, which puts them 16th going into the cross-country phase.

Andrew told H&H he was “really happy” with the test.

“I’ve had a 10-year relationship with Vassily, and with all the dressage training that I’ve done in that 10 years, the score is somewhere between a 27 on an absolutely fantastic day to a 33 or 34 – so I’m very happy,” he said.

Andrew Hoy confirmed that he has brought Vassily to Luhmühlen Horse Trials with the aim of selection for the World Championships in Aachen, having had discussions with the Australian team management. If selected, it will be their fourth championships together. They were last on the world stage at the 2022 World Championships, having won individual bronze and team silver at the Tokyo Olympics a year earlier.

“There have been many horses that have run at championship level at 17 years of age, and many horses at the top level at that age,” he said.

“With him being healthy and me being healthy, if he’s feeling well and got the performances, then that’s something we want to do. Vassily is a horse that just absolutely loves competition.”

Andrew Hoy: “He feels absolutely amazing”

Discussing how he’s preparing Vassily for Aachen, Andrew said a key part of that is “not running him at every show possible”.

“This is his third run this year. He’ll have another run before Aachen, should I be selected,” he said.

“He feels absolutely amazing; walking out of the main arena today all he wanted to do was buck and gallop out. He’s ready for the next phase.”

Andrew is another rider who believes time will be a big factor in tomorrow’s cross-country (20 June).

“I think the time is going to be a real challenge. Mike Etherington-Smith designs a very good course with the distance in combinations just a little bit wide, which means you need to slow down for them,” he said.

“There are many sectors in the course where you’re only going to be doing 400-450 metres a minute – and the areas that don’t have fences you can’t go really, really fast in all cases. Just in the last 40 seconds you’ve got six jumping efforts, so that’s not a quick part of the course.”

Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4*-S leaderboard

It’s a German top three in the CCI4*-S Meßser Trophy; Julia Krajewski and Bernd Heicke’s Uelzener’s Nickel are on top after posting a superb 22.9 dressage. Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Bodil Ipsen’s Carlitos Quidditch K are second on 27, and Julia is third with Tullabeg Platinum, with 27.2 on the scoreboard.

Cross-country day begins with the CCI5* in the morning at 9am UK time (10am local) with pathfinder Jonelle Price and Grappa Nera. The CCI4*-S gets under way at 1.26pm (2.26pm) and Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp will be first out on her other ride, Callfield. Andrew and Vassily are on at 1.56pm UK time (2.56pm local).

Check out the cross-country times.

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‘Today was perfect’: Olympic horse brings his A-game at Luhmühlen Horse Trials

Becky Murray — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:17:20 +0000

Olympic rider Julia Krajewski heads a German top three in the CCI4*-S Memser Trophy following the conclusion of the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage.

Julia and Bernd Heicke’s Uelzener’s Nickel were clapped out of the arena by an enthusiastic crowd after delivering a dazzling 22.9. This gets the pair off to a flying start as they defend their German national champion crown.

Julia and Nickel started as they meant to go on, receiving eights from judges Joachim Dimmek at C and Joanne Jarden at E for the first three movements. The test showed ease and confidence from the 12-year-old Paris Olympic gelding and the judges rewarded the wonderful partnership on display with an 8.5 and nine for harmony of horse and rider.

Julia Krajewski said “today was perfect” following her Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage.

“Nickel really loves this stadium. He can be a bit tense sometimes, depending where we go, but he knows this place,” she said.

“There’s always things that I know I want to improve on. I’d say canter work is his strength. The trot is not the most forward naturally, but I think the judges have got used to it. I was very happy with the halts and just his general attitude, he was very workman-like and I could really ride him.”

Julia added that Nickel is a “crowd favourite”.

“Once he’s done, it was the same in Paris, he walks out of the arena like: ‘Ok, this is what I deserved, come and cheer for me’,” she said.

“It’s really nice that he feels comfortable in this atmosphere.”

A German top three

Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Bodil Ipsen’s 14-year-old Carlitos Quidditch K hold provisional second on a score of 27 – just 0.2 of a penalty separating them and Julia on her second ride, Michael Spurl’s 12-year-old gelding Tullabeg Platinum. This class is a key selection trial for the German team ahead of the World Championships; five horses from the A squad are among the entries including Malin and Carlitos Quidditch K and Julia with both her rides.

Last to go in the dressage was Belgium’s Lara De Liederkerke-Meier and home-bred Kiarado d’Arville, son of her former championship ride Nooney Blue. They are fourth overnight on 27.3.

There are no Brits on the CCI4*-S card this year, but British-based riders to make the journey include New Zealander Samantha Lissington who held her own in this first phase. She is currently fifth with Lucas Stone – owned by Fiona Edwards, Neil Robertson, David Taylor, the Dubowskis and Samantha – and sixth with mare Delarado, owned by Fiona Edwards, Neil Robertson, David Taylor, the Dubowskis and Samantha.

Samantha told H&H “Luca” is still fairly new to the level, having stepped up at Blenheim last autumn, and still gaining confidence in the arena – but “nailed it” today.

“He was really with me, so it was very exciting. He’s got a lot of presence and a lovely frame,” she said.

Samantha bought the 10-year-old from Finland having found him using the EquiRatings Horse Search Complete, a data-driven equine sourcing service.

“He was someone’s only horse and he’s forever in your space. He’s a real people person, so he’s a fun member of the team with a lot of character,” she said.

“When I saw him I thought he had an athleticism about him that I really liked and a natural respect for the fences, and quite a lot of presence that I spotted fairly early on in his videos.”

Samantha posted the second best score of the day yesterday on Delarado, slotting her behind Julia and Tullabeg Platinum overnight.

“Delardo is Miss Consistent. She’s so rideable and easy and straightforward. The atmosphere never bothers her,” said Samanatha.

Aiming for Aachen

Samantha originally had Delarado entered in the CCI5* class, but switched to the CCI4*-S with her eye on the World Championships.

“I changed my mind just to get these two fit, on the road ready for Aachen. They’re both ready to do the five-star, but we’ve decided to prioritise selection for Aachen this year,” said Samantha, who has an exciting string with Defender Bramham CCI4*-S runner-up Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ also in team contention.

“I don’t think I could have done much better the last couple of days. It’s quite satisfying to deliver at an important event and have these first two days ticked, and I hope we can tick the next couple.”

Looking ahead to the cross-country tomorrow (20 June), Samantha thinks the clock will be a prominent factor.

“The main area is a lot kinder than last year, but the last minute and a half is very busy so I think the time is going to be fairly challenging to get,” she said.

A late entry

Belgium’s Senne Vervaecke and Google Van Alsingen got proceedings under way in the CCI4*-S today. The pair were a late entry having been hampered by paperwork issues, taking the starters in this class to 51. They scored 37.4 for overnight 40th.

At the halfway break this morning no one had broken the sub-30 barrier; Danish Olympic rider Peter Flarup was the closest with a 30.5 on his own 10-year-old gelding H.Carald Z, after receiving consistent scores from the judges. They will start the cross-country in seventh place.

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Pony Club champion to Luhmühlen five-star debut – and why his rider performed her dressage test holding her reins upside down

Becky Murray — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:58:07 +0000

Britain’s Emma Thomas spoke about the emotional journey to five-star for her former Pony Club champion The Buzz Factor after her Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage today (18 June).

Emma and 15-year-old “Buzz”, who is owned by Emma’s mother Rebecca Velarde, her brother Arthur Thomas, and Zoe Bardey, were second down the centre line and scored 38 to sit in seventh overnight. Although Emma has a number of five-star completions under her belt already, stepping Buzz up to five-star means the world to her.

“He’s a really special horse to me,” she told H&H. “I’ve had him for 10 years and won the Pony Club open championships with him eight years ago.

“He’s really made my entire career, so it’s so special to have him at a five-star. He is my best pal; he’s the friendliest, cuddliest creature, and he loves a big proper stage to show off.”

Emma, who studied biology at the Royal Veterinary College, said she didn’t originally plan to become a professional rider but it was Buzz that changed her mind.

“I got him with the hopes of maybe doing an intermediate at some point. We’ve come up the levels together, sort of the blind leading the blind, and it’s been the most incredible journey,” she said.

“He’s the most generous creature that I think has ever lived and he’s put up with a lot of learning mistakes. I graduated university a few years ago and he was suddenly at four-star, life was getting really exciting and I just decided to give it a go professionally. I really wouldn’t be here as a professional event rider without him.

“I’ve got another horse as well, Icarus. I am really lucky that the first two horses I’ve produced have both gone up to top level. The pair of them have made my career, but especially Buzz. He was the first and had to put up with me as a teenager making lots of mistakes.”

Horse and rider returning from injury

Emma and Buzz were U25 national champions at Defender Bramham in 2024, but he sustained a field injury and needed some time off to recover.

“He had a bit of time coming back from that, and then he picked up another little injury at the beginning of last year, so he’s had almost a year and a half away from the sport,” said Emma.

“He’s come back in the best form of his life. It’s been really special.”

Emma Thomas has also been nursing an injury, having had an accident cross-country schooling a horse a few weeks ago – but she came up with an unusual way to ride her Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage test to accommodate that.

“I injured my finger; it wasn’t serious but more annoying and it meant I didn’t have the prep for coming to Luhmühlen that I was hoping to have,” she said.

“In the test I was holding my reins upside down like a beginner. It worked out really well because I think I’m much softer holding the reins that way and it’s been really helpful riding like that the past few weeks. You’ve got to take silver linings from these things.”

Emma was “thrilled” with her test.

“He’s not a very conventional shape, so we have to work really hard to condition him and muscle him up over his top line correctly. I just thought he tried so hard, he really stayed with me,” she said.

“Two of his changes, or certainly one of them, was really fluffed which was annoying because they’re usually really good, but overall I was so thrilled with him. He can get a little bit excited in an atmosphere, but I thought he was fantastic.”

Emma is looking forward to tackling the cross-country on Saturday (20 June).

“I haven’t been here before and haven’t been over to Europe much, it’s very different. I got lost on my first course walk twice because I just didn’t have my bearings, it crosses over itself a few times,” she said.

“I think it’s a great track. The intensity actually happens after halfway, but there are questions in the beginning and there’s a section two thirds of the way around that’s really intense.

“It’s quite a small field, although it’s a real quality field. I think the course will cause silly run-outs, maybe more than people think, because of where on the track the questions are – some are quite near the end. But it’s great and I think if you go out there and get stuck in you’ll be rewarded, which is how you want to feel about cross-country.”

Emma Thomas: “I gave myself a little moment”

Buzz making his five-star debut carries an emotional tie for Emma and his owners.

“I gave myself a little moment before I went in today, just to make sure I was really appreciating how special it was that he was here,” said Emma.

“His owner Pippa Williams died at the beginning of March last year and I’d been based with her for near enough 10 years. He was her favourite horse too, so it’s just really special. Her daughter Zoe now owns him and there’s a very big emotional connection.

“I also used to train with Caroline Moore and she had a soft spot for him. I always think when I’m on him they’re both up there somewhere watching him.”

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‘I wouldn’t want to be on any other horse’: British-based US rider tops Luhmühlen five-star leaderboard – Brit in third

Becky Murray — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:21:25 +0000

US rider Hallie Coon and Kapriccio hold the lead after the first day of CCI5* Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage, with the only sub-30 score.

Hallie and her 11-year-old five-debutant Kapriccio, whom she owns with Helen Coon, were second-last to go this afternoon and scored 27.8 to take the lead.

“I’m feeling very confident at the moment. He’s just the best horse I could possibly have underneath me,” said Hallie.

KWPN gelding Kapriccio was produced by Julia Norman from BE100 to CCI4*. Julia last competed him in March 2025, before Hallie took over the reins. Hallie and Kapriccio recorded top-20 places at Ballindenisk CCI4*-S and Boekelo CCI4*-L last autumn and enjoyed their first CCI4*-S victory at Oudkarspel in the Netherlands in April.

“He’s the type of horse if you hold his hand and make sure he’s comfortable, he’ll give you his heart on a plate, it’s just a lovely feeling. I wouldn’t want to be on any other horse,” said Hallie.

The Luhmühlen five-star field is considerably smaller this year, just 21 combinations were presented at the first trot-up yesterday (17 June). This has since reduced to 20 following the withdrawal of Bill Levett and RNH Tom Tom R ahead of the dressage.

World number one Tim Price was last to go of the nine combinations in the five-star dressage this afternoon with his own, Susan Lamb and Therese Miller’s Happy Boy. The pair made a super entrance, scoring a nine from Nick Burton at C and eights from Christian Steiner and Edith Schless-Stortenbecker at M and E respectively, but they had an expensive mistake in the medium trot, when Happy Boy broke into canter, and had another slip-up in the extended trot across the diagonal. But their test got better, earning 31.7, for overnight second.

“I thought he tried really hard. We had two mistakes in the trot which was a real surprise as he normally has a good trot,” said Tim.

“I think he was just over-concentrating almost, he’s just a little trier and wants to do the right thing. But I was really pleased with everything else.”

Great Britain’s Stephen Heal in provisional third

Britain’s Stephen Heal makes up the overnight top three, with his own and Heather Chapman’s lovely grey mare Hagonda. The pair rode a relaxed looking test, scoring 33.6.

Stephen Heal and Hagonda. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“I’m really pleased with her. This is only her second five-star and she wouldn’t have been in many big arenas like that. She can sometimes not be so easy in a test, so it was nice that she stayed rideable. I was able to really ask her for all the movements and get stuck in and everything came up quite nicely,” said Stephen.

“I was probably a bit slack after the stretch circle to get the second-last change, but otherwise I was really happy with how everything went. She felt really relaxed, she can get a little excited and I can lose her a little bit, but she just felt really at ease in there today.”

Cross-country thoughts

Looking ahead to Saturday (20 June) there are mixed views among the top three about tackling cross-country course-designer Mike Etherington’s track. Hallie Coon was feeling confident following her Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage test, but Tim had some reservations, as it is a tough track and Happy Boy can be challenging.

“I don’t know if I’m looking forward to it, but I’m going to hopefully have a good plan to do a good job,” said Tim.

Hallie said she is still to walk the whole course.

“I was so focused on this first phase but from what I can see it looks like a big bold galloping track. The conditions are perfect it seems, the ground is lovely. Luhmühlen has done a very good job of preparing and I’m excited to see the rest of it,” she said.

“The general consensus I’ve heard [among riders] is that there’s plenty to do out there and it’s not going to be a dressage show.”

Stephen believes his long-standing partnership with Hagonda, having produced her up the levels, will put him in a good place.

“I’m looking forward to the cross-country. I think it will suit her because she doesn’t get strong, so I’m not too worried that it’s quite twisty,” he said.

“There’s plenty of questions out there, lots of tricky lines to corners and things like that which I think could catch out. But I think as we know each other so well now and she’s been round some tough courses in the past, she was really good at Pau and then this year she was fab round Belsay, so it’s given me confidence coming here.”

Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage day two

The second day of dressage for both the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy and the remaining 11 combinations in the CCI5* is tomorrow (19 June).

Australia’s Grace Kay and Bluefields For Cello will start at 8am UK time (9am local) in the CCI4*-S. Britain’s Harry Horton and Cooley With Ambition will kick off the CCI5* proceedings at 1pm UK time (2pm local).

This morning German Olympic rider Julia Krajewski took an early lead in the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy with Tullabeg Platinum on 27.2. New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington and Delarado are in overnight second on 29.2 and US rider Cosby Green and Highly Suspicious are provisional third on 31.0.

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‘It’s been quite a journey’: Olympic rider aims for back-to-back titles as she lands personal best at Luhmühlen

Becky Murray — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:42:11 +0000

Germany’s Julia Krajewski holds the lead in the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy after the first day of Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage, as she aims for back-to-back titles.

Julia and Tullabeg Platinum, owned by Michael Sperl, scored a personal best at this level of 27.2, to take an early lead this morning. The 50-strong class incorporates Germany’s national championship, won by Julia and her Paris Olympic ride Uelzener’s Nickel last year.

Julia said she was “very happy” with her test.

“He basically showed everything he can do today. It’s very much about the little things with him like good halts and good changes. They’ve been a bit tricky because he’s not the biggest mover and doesn’t score super high in individual points – he really has to earn the marks through being consistent,” she said.

“I think that’s what’s really positive about him, and about the test, that he really showed what he’s capable of and he didn’t have any blips or mistakes. I think that made it a very good test and I’m delighted the judges had the same opinion.”

Julia has had the ride on the 12-year-old gelding for around a year and half and she stepped him up to four-star last year. The pair were runners-up at their two spring CCI4*-S events, Strzegom in April and Marbach in May.

Julia said the pair have been working hard to improve their dressage marks.

“He doesn’t have the most easy physique with dressage in mind, so it’s really a matter of getting him supple and then into self-carriage and collection, but still keeping him forward,” she said.

“It’s very much step by step with him; developing good flying changes and what the judges want to see. We’ve been working a lot on that and every couple of weeks he gets a little bit better.

“I’m very happy for him and his owners, it’s been quite a journey with him in dressage and it was a very good day today.”

Julia Krajewski will ride Uelzener’s Nickel in the Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage tomorrow (19 June). This class is a key selection trial for the German team ahead of the World Championships and both of Julia’s rides feature in the A squad.

Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage CCI4*-S standings

New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington and Delarado – owned by Rachel Bessell, Kate Maitland, the McGrigor family and Samantha – were the second combination down the centre line this morning and posted a pleasing 29.2, to hold provisional second. Samantha will ride her second horse, Lucas Stone, owned by Fiona Edwards, Neil Robertson, David Taylor, the Dubowskis and Samantha, tomorrow.

The overnight top three is completed by US rider Cosby Green and her family’s Highly Suspicious, who were last to go. The pair scored 31.0.

The five-star dressage begins at 1.30pm UK time (2.30pm); Jonelle Price and Grappa Nera will be first down the centre line. Emma Thomas and the Buzz Factor (1.38pm UK time/2.38pm local) and Stephen Heal and Hagonda (1.54pm UK time/2.54pm local) will be in action for the Brits.

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‘What will selectors be willing to forgive?’ H&H’s eventing expert on what Bramham means for World Championship selection – for Britain and beyond

Pippa Roome — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 07:40:34 +0000

H&H eventing editor Pippa Roome rounds up what last week’s Yorkshire showcase means for the British and others hoping for a ticket to Aachen

And so, with Defender Bramham Horse Trials over, we take stock again on where we are with regards to eventing World Championship selection.

Let’s start with the easy part. Tom McEwen and JL Dublin’s win in the CCI4*-S surely confirms their place in the British team. They are unbeaten in their four runs this year, two of them at CCI4*-S in competitive company, and those results added to their championship record over the past two years must be enough to put them on the lorry to Aachen.

Beyond that, it’s more complicated and the question for many nations will have to be, “What are selectors willing to forgive?” Few combinations offer perfect form so it’s all about what errors can be overlooked or what known weaknesses they would prefer to take on.

Britain’s Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time were very impressive winning the CCI4*-L. A year ago, their victory gave them a straight path to the Europeans. But from there, it all went pear-shaped, with three falls. Bubby talked brilliantly at Bramham about reassessing, starting training with Andrew Nicholson and putting a new system into action. And she put the talk into action.

One good result doesn’t wipe out past problems. The selectors will have to decide if that’s really behind this pair and if they’re willing for the World Championships to be the next testing ground for that.

Bubby and “Finn” offer the ability to win an individual medal on their best form and that has to be attractive. The selection policy says places “may be used to provide championship experience”, which plays in their favour – both horse and rider are young and Bubby is a serious, well-supported professional with more young horses coming through and potentially decades of British team service ahead of her.

My hunch? I think Bubby has a real chance of a spot.

I don’t think CCI4*-L runner-up Selina Milnes is in the running; she is not on the World Class programme and, while she and Cooley Snapchat have had other good results, they don’t have a consistent body of form.

Yasmin Ingham and Gypsie Du Loir, who were fifth? I think the 10-year-old mare is quite likely Yasmin’s next British team horse – and her great first-phase performance would be valuable at a championship – but I also think she’s still inexperienced and her few time-faults and single fence down at Bramham confirm that. They may well be among the nominated entries (nations can submit up to 15 at this first entry stage) but I don’t think they’ll be selected.

Yasmin Ingham and Gypsie Du Loir at Bramham 2026. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

I didn’t mention Katie Magee, fifth at Badminton on Treworra, in my last selection piece and perhaps I should have. That result has to put her somewhere on the British selection radar, but she isn’t on the World Class programme and, much as eventing is a sport where athletes have longevity, as a rider who has come to five-star later (she’s 44), it’s harder to reconcile a rider with Katie’s profile with the “experience for the future” aspect of selection. Her seventh at Bramham on the beautiful Cushlas Indigo adds weight to Katie as a true top-level rider, but I don’t think she’s going to Aachen.

Ultimately, the Brits are lucky – there were no serious disappointments at Bramham from those in the running and with those who have played their hand already this spring, those who were at Bramham and Caroline Harris at Luhmühlen Horse Trials this week with D. Day, they are probably spoilt for choice.

If I’m forced to choose, I think the British squad will be Laura Collett (London 52), Ros Canter (Lordships Graffalo), Tom McEwen (JL Dublin), Gemma Stevens (Flash Cooley) and Bubby Upton (Its Cooley Time), with Tom Jackson (United 36) and Harry Meade (Annaghmore Valoner) as first reserves.

Eventing World Championship selection: beyond the Brits

Bramham was more interesting for some other nations.

For Ireland, Aoife Clark was extremely impressive with her dressage score finish for fourth in the CCI4*-L on Full Monty De Lacense. They were a relatively new combination when they fell at the Europeans last year and this puts that firmly behind them.

Joseph Murphy has had three years away from the team scene, but Calmaro was 12th last time he made a squad appearance (2023 Europeans) and eighth in the huge CCI4*-S at Bramham must give him a chance.

Also for Ireland, Susie Berry looks to be building a good partnership with new ride Strangford (14th in the CCI4*-S) and Ian Cassells and Millridge Atlantis (17th in the CCI4*-S without being foot to the floor) consolidated their European team silver last year.

A run-out at the influential Defender combination for MGH Zabaione, the 2024 Blenheim eight- and nine-year-old champion, will have been frustrating for Padraig McCarthy. Would selectors prefer to take him on Pomp N Circumstance – who led last year’s team silver but had 20 jumping penalties across country at Kentucky Three-Day Event this spring – or will they pass him by completely?

New Zealand mixed good results – second in the CCI4*-S for Samantha Lissington, who bids for her championship debut on Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, and fifth for Jonelle Price, who surely confirmed her spot with Millstreet CCI4*-S winner Senor Crocodillo – with the curveball of a dressage lead but cross-country run-out for Jesse Campbell and Speedwell. Again, what will selectors forgive?

For the USA, Tamie Smith was well up after dressage in the CCI4*-S on Lillet 3, Kentucky winner at the same level, but misjudged her line to a corner and fell across country. Can the selectors look past that? Maybe. None of the USA’s developing riders were outstanding at Bramham to elbow her out and Wiltshire-based Tiana Coudray, third in the CCI4*-L on D’Artagnan, hasn’t been to a championship since London 2012 and isn’t part of their performance structure.

Tiana Coudray and D’Artagnan claim third in the CCI4*-L at Bramham 2026. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

What’s next on eventing World Championship selection? Nations have to put in their nominated entries – up to 15 combinations – by 6 July and then their definite entries (the actual squad, bar injury or illness) by 27 July. While we expect some nations to announce squads before that deadline, there’s another month of speculation ahead…

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One late withdrawal before Luhmühlen trot-up as Brits prepare to contest five-star title

Becky Murray — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:25:03 +0000

All 21 horses were accepted at the CCI5* Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials first trot-up this afternoon (17 June).

The German five-star has a notably reduced field this year; 31 appeared on the entries list when it was first published but by yesterday this had reduced to 22. Among the withdrawals were Ros Canter and defending champion Izilot DHI and MHS Seventeen, Laura Collett with Hester, and US pair Grace Taylor and Game Changer.

There was a further withdrawal today, from US rider Hallie Coon who has pulled out Lucky Fortuna – leaving a start list of 21. Hallie remains on the list with her other ride, Kapriccio.

Eight nations are represented in the competition; Australia, Britain, France, Ireland, Germany, New Zealand and the USA.

New Zealand’s Jonelle Price got the Luhmühlen Horse Trials first-trot up under way, presenting The Grape Syndicate’s Grappa Nera to the ground jury of Britain’s Nick Burton, Austria’s Christian Steiner and Edith Scless-Stortenbecker of Germany. This was followed by Jonelle’s second ride, the Thomson’s Capitaine De Hus Z.

Next to go was Emma Thomas, one of six British entries, with the 15-year-old five-star first-timer The Buzz Factor, owned by Zoe Bardey, Arthur Thomas and Emma’s mother Rebecca Velarde.

The first home side rider, Katharina Meyer and the Tietz family’s 16-year-old gelding Aspen T, drew the biggest cheer of the afternoon. The pair are making their five-star debut.

While all combinations were accepted, the ground jury had a brief discussion ahead of waving through Irishman Dominic Furnell’s ride Ivanhoe (owned by Thomas Jones) but the Wounderwall 11-year-old was passed first time.

Pictured Dominic Furnell and Ivanhoe during the trot-up. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Britain’s Caroline Harris and her Pau 2024 winner D. Day brought the style factor with a tailored waistcoat and matching trousers. The pair finished 12th here last year. Fellow Brit Sam Gillepsie looked smart in a suit as he presented his own But Not Till Now; Sam is competing alongside his partner Stephen Heal, who rides his own and Heather Chapman’s Hagonda. The 14-year-old mare her five-star debut with Stephen at Pau last year.

Other names in the field include Emily King and Valmy Biats, who come to the German event after dropping down the leaderboard at Badminton, where they finished 39th. World number one Tim Price is riding his own, Susan Lamb and Therese Miller’s Happy Boy, and Boyd Martin presented Shanroe Cooley (owned by Anthony Smyth and the Dallas LLC’s 11-year-old Shanroe Cooley).

The last Brit to present at the Luhmühlen Horse Trials first trot-up was Sam Ecroyd and Mister Big Ears. The Irish gelding, owned by Michael Byrne, Sam’s mother Penelope, and Julie and Michael Hall, is making his five-star debut. The pair were third in the Scone Palace CCI4*-L in August, and finished 40th at Belsay CCI4*-S having jumped clear across country, with time-faults.

Mister Big Ears is making his five-star debut with Sam Ecroyd. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The first day of Luhmühlen Horse Trials dressage gets under way tomorrow (18 June), beginning with the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy (incorporating the German national championship) at 8.30am UK time (9.30am local). Malin Hansen-Hotopp will be first out with her own Callfield, for Germany.

The five-star dressage begins at 1.30pm UK time (2.30pm); Jonelle Price and Grappa Nera will be first down the centre line. Nine of the 21 will go tomorrow, and the remainder on Friday. Emma Thomas and the Buzz Factor (1.38pm UK time/2.38pm local) and Stephen Heal and Hagonda (1.54pm UK time/2.54 local) will be in action for the Brits.

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‘Without the metal in my back, I was never meant to be able to function’: quote of the day from Bramham winner Bubby Upton on the pilates, surgery and drive that have taken her to the top

Pippa Roome — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:27:47 +0000

British five-star event rider Bubby Upton suffered serious spinal injuries in a fall in August 2023, an accident which could have left her unable to ride or even walk, and she had her third back surgery as a result last autumn.

Still only 27 years old, she has made an incredible comeback to the top-level of eventing – but few people see what goes into keeping her body functioning to allow her continued success.

During Defender Bramham Horse Trials last week, where Bubby Upton won the CCI4*-L for the second year in a row, she talked about having a third back surgery in November last year.

“The rod in my back had snapped in half in July,” she said, adding this didn’t make the second half of the season easy. “But it was almost a relief finding that out, because we couldn’t get on top of the pain and the symptoms that I was struggling with for a long time and that explained them.

“I’m so grateful to my incredible surgeon Dr Ivan Timofeev, who’s done all three surgeries. We didn’t actually want to do this surgery, but we weren’t left with a choice, because that was two consecutive years where the rod had snapped in half, despite having shortened it for the second year, because of just the sheer force that goes through it, I guess, with what we do as event riders.

“I basically don’t have the structures any more to hold up my spinal column – without the metal, I was never meant to be able to function. So we’re now relying on full muscle strength. So it’s pilates and the gym to focus in on those muscles that will hopefully allow me to do this for longer.”

Bubby’s surgery at the end of 2024 – her comeback season – set her well back and necessitated a long recovery period. This time, the surgery was quickly a positive for her.

“I have genuinely felt like a new person since my last surgery,” she said. “I feel nearly back to the Bubby that I was pre-accident. I’m now riding nine, 10, 11 horses a day, pain-free, and it’s the first time in two-and-a-half years that I’m on no painkillers, so it’s amazing.”

Bubby Upton on her recovery: the mental game

Unsurprisingly, talking about her accident and comeback is emotional for Bubby.

“It’s been a hell of a journey,” she said. “The horses are what got me through it. There was a long period where riding was out the picture, we were focusing on walking again and getting basic life back, but I guess probably subconsciously I never lost hope and faith in getting back on a horse again and that gave me more strength than I can ever do justice to in words.

“I never thought I’d be back competing at the top of the sport and I’d accepted that, but riding again was enough for me at that point. And then I guess when I got back on the goalposts just kept moving and before I knew it, I was starting the season at Poplar Park, and then I was back at Badminton eight months after the accident.

“It was just truly the most humbling experience of my life. It put everything into perspective, or a totally different perspective. How I see things now is totally different. I always thought I was pretty tough and strong, but you realise what you’re capable of in those moments when you’ve got to fight that extra bit.”

Bubby Upton at home with her double Bramham winner Its Cooley Time. (Image credit: Elli Birch/Boots and Hooves)

The fact the injury happened in a freak accident away from a competition has helped Bubby mentally with getting back to eventing.

“If it had been competing, it probably would have been a totally different challenge to overcome, but I was able to separate it from the sport in terms of the competing,” she said.

“I’m nowhere near as brave on young ones as I used to be anymore. I used to get on any horse and think that I was pretty invincible, which I proved I am not, so I’m much more careful on quirky youngsters now, but apart from that, it hasn’t affected me at all.

“It’s just demonstrated to me that inner strength that I have and reaffirmed – not that I needed it reaffirmed – the love that I have for what I do.”

Bubby also talked about how her horses helped her when she was first home after her accident.

“When I came to see them in my electric scooter, they were just so gentle with me. They kind of balanced their heads on me and I just felt like they knew and they were just that crutch that I needed at that time,” she said.

“Just seeing them gave me that strength to fight and be back for them. Horses are just there for you whenever you need them and they’re not judgmental and are loyal as hell.”

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How to watch Luhmühlen Horse Trials 2026 live from anywhere in the world

Georgia Guerin — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:43:13 +0000

Watch Luhmühlen Horse Trials live this week and enjoy the action from Germany’s only five-star eventing competition, plus the CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy, which incorporates the German national championship.

Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials is the final major fixture before team selections are made for the FEI World Championships in Aachen this year, and although there have been some last-minute withdrawals, the event will host plenty of elite combinations.

At a glance

Luhmühlen Horse Trials date: 18–21 June 2026
Watch Luhmühlen on TV: H&C TV
Watch Luhmühlen from anywhere: Use this NordVPN deal – 75% Off

How to watch Luhmühlen Horse Trials live on TV

Horse & Country TV is the only place you can live stream all the action from Luhmühlen, with commentary options of English or German.

You can stream H&C TV via the website or watch on the app via Fire TV, Android TV, Roku or Chromecast.

If you’re away from home, you can use NordVPN to secure your stream of the action from anywhere in the world.

Luhmühlen Horse Trials H&C TV schedule

Session	Date	Time (BST)
First horse inspection	Wednesday 17 June	3.20pm
Dressage day one	Thursday 18 June	7.20am
Dressage day two	Friday 19 June	7.50am
Cross-country	Saturday 20 June	8.35am
Final horse inspection	Sunday 21 June	7.50am
Showjumping	Sunday 21 June	10.05am

How to watch Luhmühlen Horse Trials from anywhere

If you’re away from home and your normal coverage is geo-blocked, a VPN will get you your usual coverage from anywhere in the world.

There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. We’d suggest using a paid-for service such as NordVPN, where you can get an exclusive 75% off, which offers a 100% risk-free money back guarantee. If you’re not happy with the service any time within the first 30-days, then you can cancel with no penalties at all.

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Ros Canter and other Brits among Luhmühlen withdrawals, leaving five-star field depleted

Becky Murray — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:19:56 +0000

Defending champions Ros Canter and Izilot DHI are among the withdrawals from Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials (17-21 June), leaving a depleted CCI5* field.

Ros and Alex Moody’s horse had been the favourite to win again, but it was not to be – and Ros’s other ride MHS Seventeen, owned by Lady Milnes Coates and Deidre Johnston, has also been pulled out.

Entries for the CCI5* were already on the lean side; there were only 31 combinations on the original list, but as of today (16 June) only 22 remain.

The other British withdrawals are Laura Collett and Hester, Andrew Downes with Cooley Foxtrot, Elspeth Bryce on Lacoste and Alexander Tordoff with Cool Jack. Harry Meade has withdrawn Jet Fighter; the pair were at Defender Bramham Horse Trials last week, but withdrew before the cross-country.

US combinations Grace Taylor with Game Changer and Lucienne Bellissimo with Kitsch Couture HPK have also withdrawn, as has Australia’s Bill Levett and Sligo Candy Cane. Bill still has RNH Tom Tom R entered.

There are still six Brits in the five-star, including Pau five-star 2024 winners Caroline Harris and D Day, Stephen Heal with Hagonda and Sam Ecroyd riding five-star debutant Mister Big Ears. Ireland has two entries; Sian Coleman with Carrowgar Je Taime Max and Dominic Furnell on Ivanhoe. The home side has two combinations in the CCI5*; Heike Jahncke with Mighty Spring FRH and Katharina Meyer with Aspen T.

The CCI4*-S Meßmer Trophy, which incorporates the German national championship, has reduced from 63 entries to 50. The only Brits in this class, John Tilley with Licence to Cooley and Gordon Murphy riding Highmoon, have both withdrawn.

Germany’s Calvin Bockmann and Altair De La Cense, who finished fifth in the CCI4*-S last year, are out – as is Sweden’s Amanda Staam with her 2025 Europeans ride Corpoubet AT, and Desiree Schmidt on Fairy Tale B, who have made Nations Cup team appearances for Switzerland.

Emily King and Valmy Biats originally showed as entered in the CCI4*-S, but now appear in the CCI5* entries – and New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington and Delarado, who appeared on the five-star list, now show in the CCI4*-S. Samantha was double-entered at Bramham and Luhmühlen with Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, but opted to run at Bramham, where they finished runners-up in the CCI4*-S.

The Luhmühlen Horse Trials trot-up gets under way tomorrow afternoon (17 June). The first day of dressage is on Thursday, beginning with the CCI4*-S at 8am UK time (9am local) followed by the five-star dressage at 1pm UK time (2pm local). Find more information about how to watch Luhmühlen Horse Trials.

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‘I never lost faith in him’: emotional Bubby Upton keeps her Bramham title after turbulent year

Pippa Roome — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:28:40 +0000

Bubby Upton topped the Defender Bramham Horse Trials results in the CCI4*-L class this afternoon (14 June), making an emotional return to form with Its Cooley Time after a series of falls since the pair won this class last year.

“I won this last year and subconsciously thought the world was my oyster, but I really believe and hope that now it is,” said Bubby.

She continued, tearfully: “I’ve never lost faith or belief in him, it was just a question of tweaking a few tiny little things and not losing faith in the fact that so much of it was so good.

“When a few times on the bounce, it goes wrong, it’s quite easy to lose faith in the whole system. Thank God I’m surrounded by such amazing people. We just made a few small tweaks here and there and I really feel like this past year has been the making of us.”

Bubby and the 11-year-old grey, owned by his rider, Susan de Zulueta, Hilary Russell, the Duchess of Norfolk, Jane Dear and Susie Holland-Bosworth, had just 0.9 of a penalty in hand when they went in to showjump today but put in a very assured clear in the time.

“Like I’ve said before, what a freak. He jumps like a jumper, goes across country like a point-to- pointer and flicks his toes like a dressage horse. You can’t really ask for more.

“As I’ve also said before, the line is thin with him [because he is such sensitive horse so things can easily go wrong], but I genuinely wouldn’t want to be sat on another horse coming to the last day – maybe apart from Cannavaro,” said Bubby, referring to her 2021 under-25 national champion.

“The pair of them are just extraordinary and they make my job so easy, so it’s a pure joy and privilege to go in with that pressure on a horse like him.”

Bramham Horse Trials results: clears on the podium

Selina Milnes and Cooley Snapchat at Bramham 2026. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Selina Milnes also showjumped clear to keep second, with just 0.8 of a time-penalty, on the Ruckers’ Cooley Snapchat.

“He is a really good jumper — he’s only ever had one rail at a long format, at Pau last year – so I was quite confident going in,” she said.

The more dramatic part of the day for Selina was the final horse inspection. She and her team trotted the horse up last night and he was fine, but this morning after she had ridden him – and with her farrier brother Greig and vet husband Scott having left – he suddenly went lame.

“I think he literally just stood on a stone and there were no farriers here, but we grabbed Rich Taylor, who’s from our area, from the coffee queue to help us get the shoe off. He had some bruising on the inside of his heel and they padded it all out and he’s good now,” she said.

The horse had the shoe off and back on within an hour before the trot-up and was sent to the holding box, but passed on re-inspection.

Tiana Coudray and D’Artagnan take third at Bramham 2026. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Wiltshire-based US rider Tiana Coudray put in a fault-free round, just three seconds over the time, to move up from fourth to third with Annabelle James, Kyrle Arscot and her own 12-year-old grey D’Artagnan.

Tiana said: “He’s the most gorgeous animal through and through. Like all of mine, we picked him up through Facebook and didn’t know what he was going to be. He was a big, weak baby – rising eight but he had done very, very little, and he’s just been the most incredible horse.

“His temperament is unmatched. He’s got a heart the size of the world and if he ever makes a mistake, it’s only because he didn’t know the answer. He’s so honest and so, so generous. This spring, the strength is coming and the trajectory he’s been on has been stratospheric.

“He was amazing three weeks ago at Belsay, which is the first time we’ve really felt the pieces were all starting to be there. Anything could have happened this week, but I’ve got so much faith in him, I know he’s going to give me absolutely everything he can and because his body’s stronger now, he can just give me so much more.”

Yasmin Ingham dropped two places in the Bramham Horse Trials results, finishing fifth on Gypsie Du Loir, who knocked the second part of the double at six with her hind legs. Four faults for Katie Magee and Cushlas Indigo also cost them two spots and they wound up seventh.

Clears elevated Tom McEwen and Quintus from ninth to sixth and Ireland’s Aoife Clark and Full Monty De Lacense from eighth to fourth, the only pair to finish on their dressage score.

“I took over the ride in March last year and he is very, very sensitive horse – he’s so kind and gentle and genuine, but he is a real worrier and that’s partly why I’ve got him, because Jonelle Price thought he would be better suited to smaller yard,” said Aoife, who was on the silver medal-winning team at last year’s Europeans with the horse but had a fall across country.

“This week is the most together we’ve felt. He really suits me, because he’s all blood, he’s so fast-thinking and agile, but it takes a bit of time to cement a partnership. I think the winter was important – we just did loads of hacking and a winter of me just being his human and him settling into his work was key.”

Lizzie Baugh finished eighth on Piltown Concorde, Alex Bragg ninth on Jaeger Master – a horse he has worked hard on to change his balance and way of going – and Yasmin Ingham had another horse in the top 10 with Goliath Du Loir landing 10th.

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Two title contenders held and one leaves competition at Bramham final trot-up

Pippa Roome — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:13:15 +0000

Two title contenders were sent to the holding box and one has left the competition at the Defender Bramham Horse Trials final trot-up this morning (14 June).

New Zealand’s Caroline Powell was third overnight after a clear inside the time on Chris Mann’s 2024 Mars Badminton Horse Trials winner Greenacres Special Cavalier, but she withdrew after being held.

The Ruckers’ Cooley Snapchat, second after cross-country, another who recorded a clear inside the time yesterday, was also sent to the holding box but rider Selina Milnes re-presented and Cooley Snapchat passed on re-inspection.

Thirty-two horses came before the ground jury of Swedish president Christina Klingspor, New Zealand’s Andrew Bennie and Britain’s Les Smith, with the sun making an appearance after a week of wet and grey weather at the Yorkshire event.

Bramham Horse Trials final trot-up: two withdrawn before inspection

Two competitors withdrew before the Bramham Horse Trials final horse trot-up. Ireland’s Jim Newsam pulled out Carole Hawthorne’s Tullybee Louis, who lay 25th after a jumping clear with 28.8 time-faults.

Britain’s Tom Rowland was the other competitor who did not present at the inspection, with Jo Handman’s LB Mettaphor. They had 40 jumping penalties across country yesterday – at the skinny box in the water at the Womble Bond Dickinson Pond (fence 7c) and the triple brush arrowhead in the water at fence 19c – and 24 time-faults to sit 33rd overnight.

The first pair of horses down the strip raised a laugh – Rupert Batting’s two rides are obviously devoted to each other and whinnied and fidgeted when they were separated, leading commentator John Kyle to joke that Rupert would now present Coombeland Talisman’s “fwiend” Coombeland Semilly.

The showjumping for this CCI4*-L class starts at 1pm today. Defending champion Bubby Upton will be last into the arena, with Its Cooley Time, and she is unlikely to start with a fence in hand as the five riders behind her are all within four penalties. This pair showjumped clear to win the same section here at Bramham last year.

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Tom McEwen cements his bid for World Championship selection with Bramham win

Pippa Roome — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 19:33:21 +0000

Tom McEwen surely confirmed his World Championship berth in the British squad when he topped the CCI4*-S results at Defender Bramham Horse Trials today (13 June).

Only one pair made the time over Andrew Heffernan’s cross-country track, but Tom kept the lead he seized with a showjumping clear when he came home with 2.8 time-faults on Deirdre Johnston and James and Jo Lambert’s JL Dublin. The pair were team gold medallists at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and European individual bronze medallists last year.

Tom said: “I thought he was epic this morning – jumped really, really well, really smooth. Then cross-country, obviously we had a good bit of gap [in scores, to the rest of the field] – which is not a bad thing around a course that I think was very technical and plenty to do – and I thought he was brilliant again.

“The ground was amazing and the fences were brilliant – especially the Defender combination [at fences 6ab and seven, pictured above] – I thought that was a really good combination and hopefully it was a good prep for maybe being selected.”

Bramham Horse Trials results: Lissington makes her move

Once Tom had posted his score, only New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington, another with her eye on the worlds, could beat him – and she had to go inside the time to do so. She and Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, who had been third after showjumping, ultimately finished two seconds over the 6min 57sec optimum to end up second.

“It all came up really fast – I thought it was a really tough track and for us it was mostly about having a good performance to put our best foot forward for selection,” said Samantha.

“So when I finished that second to last combination, I was thinking ‘okay, take a pull’, just to make sure of the last few fences. To come home in second was a bonus, but I was just really stoked with the performance as a whole.”

Samantha bought the horse as a five-year-old with her first ever owner, Pip McCarroll.

“It’s been a real journey up to five-star level and hopefully fingers crossed we might get the opportunity to go take him to a World Championships,” she said. “He’s 15 now and he’s put up with all of my young rider years of making mistakes and going again and being genuine, so I owe him a lot of credit for my career.”

Sam Ecroyd and the 11-year-old Bloomfield Manuscript, owned by Joe and Kate Walls and Tricia and Rob Sargent, were the only pair who made the time and they finished third.

A year off

“People keep telling me that I’m fast, but it’s pretty easy on him – he’s quick, economical, doesn’t pull. He’s just a really good cross-country horse,” said Sam of the 11-year-old, who had last year off as a result of having a bone chip taken out of his leg; a small swelling appeared on his leg in a “weird place” after Burnham Market.

Another New Zealand World Championship hopeful, Jesse Campbell, conceded his dressage lead in this class when he and Speedwell had the final part of the treble, the penultimate fence, down in the showjumping.

He dropped to fifth at that stage, but cascaded further down the leaderboard when he had a drive-by at the skinny box hedge in the Womble Bond Dickinson Pond (fence 9c).

Kitty King was third after dressage and rose to second with a showjumping clear on her new ride Renkum Jitterbug, but she was one of a number of riders to have a run-out at the Defender combination (fences 6ab and seven), a skinny brush box followed by a turn to two angled brush shoulders on three or four strides. She then retired.

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‘He deserved this – he’s done everything for me’: veteran home-bred superstar helps rider to under-25 national title

Pippa Roome — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 19:14:26 +0000

Alice Casburn took the national under-25 title in the Defender Bramham Horse Trials results today (13 June).

The 24-year-old piloted her mother Caroline’s home-bred 18-year-old Topspin to a showjumping clear and one of the fastest cross-country rounds today, finishing with just four time-faults to rocket up the leaderboard. She was sixth in the overall CCI4*-S placings.

It was a fabulous result for these long-term partners, who had already won young rider team gold and individual bronze and finished in the top 10 at Defender Burghley Horse Trials four times.

“He just keeps digging and keeps getting better and he has come out feeling so well this year,” said Alice.

“Mum and I actually had our first little fall-out at the start of the year, because I had in my head that he was 18, and Mum was saying, ‘Look, are you riding by the number or are you riding by what you’re riding?’ I thought about it for a minute, thought, ‘I’m riding by the number’ and actually, he’s come out so well – the flatwork has improved and when I went into the showjumping, he was spooking at everything and having a great time.

“I felt like he deserved this more than me – he’s done everything for me, from the bottom all the way to the top, and I’m very, very grateful and lucky to have him.”

Alice now has the first under-25 World Championships, at Millstreet in late July, in her sights. Mars Badminton Horse Trials has never suited Topspin so she had already decided at the end of last year not to take him back there and when the under-25 worlds, at CCI4*-S, came on to the horizon, it made sense to make her Bramham debut.

Alice said: “I know that horse inside out. Kylie Roddy said to me on the way down to the cross-country, ‘You know him more than anyone’ and I really needed that today, because I definitely felt the pressure this morning with the thought of Millsteet. You never know but I’d like to think we’d be in with a squeak of going.”

A last hurrah at Defender Burghley Horse Trials beckons for September, either way.

Bramham Horse Trials under-25 results: veterans dominate

Cerys Macaulay, 24, landed second on another 18-year-old, Kananaskis, owned by her boyfriend Richard Coney – who won junior and young rider medals and went five-star on the horse before Cerys took over the ride – and his mother Wendy. She initially took on Kananaskis with the aim of rehabbing him after some injuries and has built from there.

“We didn’t expect him to come back eventing, let alone keep go up the levels,” she said. “It took a while in our first season to get comfortable with each other but I feel like we know each other well now. He tries very hard for me.”

Tom Bird landed third on his own, his mother Fran and Helen Kerry’s Lenny.

Barnie Brotherton led this under-25 division after dressage, having broken his arm six weeks ago, but he and DHI King Nelson had a run-out at the open corner at fence 13b, which caused a good number of problems in the CCI4*-S.

Defending champions Tom Woodward and Low Moor Lucky were second after dressage, but Tom withdrew the 19-year-old after four faults in the showjumping.

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‘The track was challenging enough without that curve ball’: Bubby Upton holds Bramham lead despite tack malfunction

Pippa Roome — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:23:34 +0000

Bubby Upton has retained her dressage lead in the CCI4*-L after the Defender Bramham Horse Trials cross-country action today (13 June).

Defending champions Bubby and Its Cooley Time – owned by his rider, Susan de Zulueta, Hilary Russell, the Duchess of Norfolk, Jane Dear and Susie Holland-Bosworth – had 3.6 time-faults. But Bubby punched the air as she crossed the finishing line, consolidating her comeback to form with this grey after three falls in the past year.

Bubby Upton had to contend with her martingale breaking at fence three on the Bramham Horse Trials cross-country course, not ideal as “Finn” naturally has a very high head carriage. On a galloping stretch between fences she managed to lean down and grab the loose part and tie it around her breastplate so at least it wasn’t flapping between the horse’s legs.

“He’s not the easiest horse to ride cross-country on a normal day and the martingale is a pretty key piece of equipment for him, just keeping his head a bit lower, otherwise it is quite literally in my face, and he’s not really looking at what’s going on in front of him,” said Bubby.

“The track alone was challenging enough, without that extra curve ball thrown in. I didn’t realise for a bit what had happened but his head position was constantly changing – it was like having a completely different horse under me.

“I had to take extra time at everything, but even if I wasn’t able to put him on perfect lines, thank God he oozes talent as that got us out of a few situations today. I can’t fault him in terms of his talent, his mentality. He just never gives up – he’s such a fighter.”

Bubby sits just 0.1 of a penalty ahead of Selina Milnes and the Ruckers’ Cooley Snapchat, whose clear inside the time today moved them up from fifth after dressage to second overnight.

“I didn’t know how fit he was as I haven’t had a run since the start of May, but the girls at home have done an amazing job,” said Selina, who is coming back from breaking her ribs just before the start of the season and then triggering them again a second time the Monday after Mars Badminton Horse Trials.

“He’s been here twice before so we know he does cope with the hills and he was gunning the whole way round. He didn’t miss a beat,” she added.

A fault-free round also meant a rise of three places for the 2024 Badminton winners, Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier.

“She is opinionated, but she has dropped the bridle a bit this year, which makes it easier for me,” said Caroline.

Yasmin Ingham and Gypsie Du Loir recorded 5.6 time-faults, which dropped them from second after dressage to fourth, while 3.2 time-penalties meant Wiltshire-based US combination Tiana Coudray and D’Artagnan slipped just one spot to fifth.

Katie Magee was the first of four to make the time today, on British intermediate champion Cushlas Indigo, and was rewarded with a rise from equal 13th to sixth.

New-look Bramham Horse Trials cross-country course

It was a pity that those watching on screens were unable to get a full view of how course-designer Andrew Heffernan’s reworked cross-country track rode, because the coverage of this class was sparse, with a very limited number of fences shown due to technical issues.

However, from what could be gleaned, the course appeared to work out well in general, with a good spread of problems and positive reactions from riders.

“It was a bit different to ride compared to the last 30 years that I’ve been coming here, but I think Andy builds amazing tracks – the fences had beautiful profiles and the horses can read the questions,” said Caroline Powell.

The Defender combination at fences 5ab and six, a narrow brush oxer followed by a right-hand turn to two angled brush shoulders, was the first influential fence. The fact horses ran into the intense section of the course in the park bowl, where most of the crowds gather, early on the new route was perhaps a factor here.

This early problem was soon followed by the Womble Bond Dickinson Pond (fence 7abc and 8ab), which consisted of a log bounce in, then a skinny box hedge in the water and a step to bird bounce out.

MCS Maverick, third after dressage with Piggy March, ran too free here and ended up on an awkward stride at the step, stumbling up it and stopping at the bird.

The usually strong cross-country combination of Isabelle Cook and Cymoon “F” Z also came unstuck here when they were a long way off the skinny in the water and the horse floundered on landing, resulting in a fall for the promising young rider.

Fence 16ab, the Coopers Marquees Corners – two open right-handed corners around a blind left-hand bend – also caused their fair share of penalties. Gemma Stevens and Chilli King, who had been 10th after dressage, were among those who faulted here.

The second element of the straight route through the water at fence 18abc, the triple brush arrowhead, was taken out of the course two-thirds of the way through the competition for safety reasons, because the ground on take-off was degrading. Those who had jumped the fence before it was removed from the course all had their time reduced by two seconds (so 0.8 of a time-penalty was taken off their initial score).

Ibble Watson and Aristoteles S J, eighth following the first phase, had three run-outs at this fence before it was taken out and Daisy Berkeley retired in this area after 20 penalties at the second pond, at 19ab, with Diese Du Figuier, who had been seventh after dressage.

Four combinations came home inside the 10min 2sec optimum time – Katie Magee (Cushlas Indigo, sixth), Selina Milnes (Cooley Snapchat, second), Caroline Powell (Greenacres Special Cavalier, third) and Aoife Clark (Full Monty De Lacense, ninth).

“I’m satisfied, but not over the moon,” summed up course-designer Andrew Heffernan.

Andrew said he thought the new route basically worked and explained he wanted to eliminate the downhill start, which has contributed to some early falls here, and take out the pull to the finish so the track was less punishing on the run home.

“The idea of this event is to get horses ready for five-star and the good rounds were very good. I will tweak it for next year – I thought it could be more flowing.”

Andy said it was a positive that fewer horses made the time this year than last – “it made it more of a competition” – but that while the track had been on the soft side last year, this year it was a little too strong.

Fifty went to post in the CCI4*-L today, with 34 (68%) finishing and 25 (50%) jumping clears.

Sadly, Charlie Foxtrot, owned by Michael and Sophie Payne and ridden by David Doel, suffered a “fatal cardiovascular catastrophe” around fence 22.

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Horse sadly suffers ‘fatal cardiovascular catastrophe’ during Bramham cross-country

Pippa Roome — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:02:04 +0000

A horse has sadly died during the cross-country at Defender Bramham Horse Trials today (13 June).

Charlie Foxtrot, owned by Michael and Sophie Payne and ridden by David Doel, was contesting the CCI4*-L class. A statement from the event said he “unfortunately suffered a fatal cardiovascular catastrophe on the cross-country course around fence 22”.

The statement about Charlie Foxtrot continued: “Veterinary personnel were on the scene immediately but unfortunately nothing could be done to save the horse. The rider was uninjured.

“Our sincere condolences are with David and his connections.”

Charlie Foxtrot, an 11-year-old by Voss out of a mare called Cha Cha Cha Z (by Corrado II), started his career with Katie Magee, joining Hector Payne in the middle of 2022 when he was at novice level.

Hector, the son of the horse’s owners Michael and Sophie Payne, took the horse up to four-star but felt he might suit another rider better, so he joined David Doel during the 2024 season.

David and Charlie Foxtrot had had a number of good placings, including second in an intermediate at Poplar Park in March 2025, two ninths in open intermediates and 11th in the advanced at Cirencester this spring. They contested the British intermediate championships at Hartpury last summer, finishing 16th.

On their previous run, they completed the CCI4*-S at Belsay with a 37.1 dressage, four jumping and two time-faults in the showjumping and a steady clear across country with 18.4 time-penalties.

Charlie Foxtrot was tackling his second CCI4*-L at Bramham, having completed at the level on his debut at Boekelo last year, with a jumping clear across country.

David and Charlie Foxtrot had kicked off their Bramham Horse Trials campaign with a dressage score of 39.4.

A fence was taken out of the CCI4*-L course near the end of the class, but this was unrelated to Charlie Foxtrot’s death – the second element of fence 18 was removed because the ground had deteriorated on take-off.

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Dan and Harry Skelton to show how they train racehorses using techniques from other sports at Burghley

Lucy Elder — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 06:34:28 +0000

The Skelton brothers will team up for a masterclass on the opening day of Defender Burghley Horse Trials (3 to 6 September).

Reigning National Hunt champion trainer Dan Skelton and his brother, Harry, who won the respective champion jockey title in 2021, will give a demonstration in the main arena during Thursday’s lunch break.

It will be hosted by racing broadcasters Nick Luck and Alice Fox-Pitt and will end with a Q&A session.

“Harry and I are really looking forward to delivering a masterclass at Burghley Horse Trials this year,” said Dan.

“It will be a great opportunity to take people behind the scenes and demonstrate how we use techniques from other disciplines to help develop our racehorses in training. We’re excited to share our approach and highlight the benefits it brings to our horses.”

Horses for the Dan and Harry Skelton masterclass will be provided by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme, an initiative set up by David Howden in 2024 designed to support riders taking on former racehorses.

After the first day of dressage, Australian eventing medallist and course-designer Clayton Fredericks will lead a masterclass on cross-country course design. He will also be joined by fellow designer and Olympic rider Andrew Heffernan – the pair are assistants to course-designer Derek di Grazia at Burghley this year.

Dressage legend Carl Hester’s popular masterclass is scheduled for Friday’s lunchbreak this year. He will work with a grand prix dressage rider on their freestyle performance, and with a leading event rider on the CCI5* dressage test.

A demonstration from the Howden Way Young Horse Academy, led by BHS Fellow and CCI5* event rider Kylie Roddy, will round off Burghley’s masterclasses on Friday afternoon. It will showcase promising young horses and provide training tips on producing horses through the levels.

Defender Burghley Horse Trials director Martyn Johnson said: “We are thrilled to welcome Dan and Harry Skelton to Burghley for the first time. The Skelton family is almost unparalleled in the range of its equestrian achievements, and we think our visitors will be fascinated to watch Harry and Dan work together.

“We are determined to keep raising the standards of what we offer visitors, and this year’s masterclass line-up reflects that ambition. From the dressage precision of Carl Hester to the groundbreaking cross-discipline insights of the Skeltons, there is something to inspire every equestrian enthusiast.”

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World Championship hopefuls battle at Bramham – and rider who broke arm six weeks ago leads under-25s

Pippa Roome — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:46:35 +0000

World Championship hopefuls dominate at the top of the Defender Bramham Horse Trials dressage leaderboard for the CCI4*-S class, with Jesse Campbell first and Tom McEwen second.

Jesse and Speedwell – owned by Karen Coumbe and Deborah Strang, mother of Jesse’s late wife Georgie, who previously rode the horse – scored 25.5 to take the lead soon after lunch.

“It’s not often you can get the work you do at home out of the horse in the arena and he really gave me that. Bar one mistake, everything else just felt really rock solid and I could place him where I wanted, and he was soft around my leg. It was cool,” said the New Zealand rider.

Elaborating on his Bramham Horse Trials dressage error, Jesse Campbell said: “Because he was feeling great, I went for a little bit of a bigger step in my half-pass and he just broke into canter. I probably should have waited, got the balance and then gone. But he actually recovered it really quickly.”

Jesse said he has worked on the 12-year-old horse’s confidence.

“We’ve always known he’s a fantastically talented horse, but he needs to believe it as well,” he said.

Jesse said New Zealand high performance manager Jock Paget had told him he needed to do a long-format competition early in the year to be in the running for the World Championships in Aachen in August, so he went to Strzegom in April, which he won.

“I thought maybe Luhmühlen Horse Trials four-star short would be the thing, but when he won at Strzegom I thought I wanted to come to Bramham, which is a little bit busier and has the arena on grass – it mimics more what the World Championships is going to be like,” he said.

Tom McEwen had similar thoughts in bringing the Lamberts’ and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin here, after his European individual bronze last year and win at Kronenberg CCI4*-S in March. The British pair scored 26.8 to sit second.

“I thought he was fantastic. I’m absolutely delighted with him,” Tom said. “He loves performing in front of people, so the more people that came, the better he got.

“I thought that was a really, really nice test, so I am super disappointed with the mark. I looked up every time at seven, 7.5 and I was thinking ‘What do you guys actually want?’ The judges have obviously stuck to their grouping and that’s what they stayed at. But I’ve ridden two tests, on two different horses, so to know the difference between mine – I think they are a little bit out, which is a shame.”

Kitty King holds third on the late Elizabeth Golby’s 10-year-old Renkum Jitterbug, a new ride for her this year, having scored 27.7 today.

Samantha Lissington, another hoping for a World Championship call-up for New Zealand, sits fourth with Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ on 29.2, with last night’s leader, Cheshire-based Chinese rider Alex Hua Tian (Manjushri) fifth on 29.4.

US pair in sixth after Bramham Horse Trials dressage

There was much anticipation around the first test this morning, as US rider Tamie Smith and her Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI4*-S winner Lillet 3 took to the arena. This pair, too, are front runners for selection for the World Championships for their nation.

“I was hoping for exactly what she was – maybe I was hoping for a better score, but it’s hard to be first in and they’re judging strong, and I think that’s great. I think the standard needs to be high,” said Tamie, whose test, which scored 30 for sixth overnight, was only marred by the mare stepping backwards in her final halt.

Tamie has been riding Lillet 3 for about 18 months after she started her career with Germany’s Andreas Dibowski.

“She’s a real trier, but she can be both very sweet and really moody and opinionated. She tells you exactly how she feels at all times,” said Tamie.

Brotherton leads under-25 championship at Bramham

Barnie Brotherton heads the under-25 championship in seventh place overall in this class, with his mother Naomi’s DHI King Nelson, scoring 30.2.

“I was not expecting as good a test as that because I haven’t had much prep,” said Barnie, who broke his arm six weeks ago today when a horse he was feeding in the field kicked him.

“It turned around and double-barrelled out at my head, I put my arm up in the way and it luckily got my arm instead,” said Barnie.

The 23-year-old started riding again, just on DHI King Nelson, two weeks ago and is wearing a splint on his arm this week.

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‘She carries herself beautifully’: promising mare second after dressage at Bramham for reigning world champion

Pippa Roome — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:50:47 +0000

Yasmin Ingham sits second after the Defender Bramham Horse Trials dressage in the CCI4*-L class, having scored 24.8 today.

The British rider has returned to the Yorkshire venue with the promising 10-year-old Gypsie Du Loir, owned by Janette Chinn and the Sue Davies Fund, 12 months after winning the CCI4*-S class here.

“She’s such an exciting horse and it’s even more special because I’ve had her since she was five, so we’ve gone on the journey together and she’s just getting better and better each year,” said Yasmin.

“I’m still not entirely happy with that – the late flying change at the end was super frustrating and that’s been her weakness in her dressage. We’re just trying to get that nailed, so I think we’ll be doing some more homework, but the rest of the test felt really fluent and she just carries herself so beautifully.

“She’s got a real natural cadence about her and her presence in general is quite attractive, so she’s a pleasure to ride.”

A narrow margin at the top after Bramham Horse Trials dressage

Yasmin is second to last year’s CCI4*-L winners Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time, who are 0.6 of a mark ahead.

Last night’s leader Piggy March holds third with MCS Maverick on 26.4, with US rider Tiana Coudray and D’Artagnan fourth (27.4) and Selina Milnes on Cooley Snapchat, another pair who performed yesterday, in fifth (27.9).

Caroline Powell’s test today with 2024 Mars Badminton Horse Trials winner Greenacres Special Cavalier, owned by Chris Mann, has allowed her to slot into sixth on 29.

“She got a bit nervous in the trot, but the canter was beautiful. She never scores great marks for the walk because she’s so long, but we know what she is and what she does, so we’re chuffed with her,” said the New Zealand rider.

Caroline said she hasn’t had a smooth build-up to a three-day with the mare in a long time, including this one.

She explained: “Every time you think you’ve got a straight run, there’s a great big, bendy turn in the way, and you’ve just got to rethink what you’re doing and change things. I’m this age and I’m still learning how to get horses to three days – it’s never, never easy, is it?

“The main aim for this week is to finish, because I think it’s very important for her mentally to actually come and get through and go home very happy.”

Riders are in agreement that Andrew Heffernan’s reworked cross-country track offers a serious test so tomorrow should be an exciting day of action.

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Bramham leader Bubby Upton on today’s test, her new cross-country system after recent falls and her latest back surgery

Pippa Roome — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:08:54 +0000

Bubby Upton has set herself up to defend her CCI4*-L title by taking the lead in the Defender Bramham Horse Trials dressage this afternoon (12 June).

Bubby and the athletic grey Its Cooley Time punched in a mark of 24.2, topped by a 10 from Swedish ground jury president Christina Klingspor at C for her final centre line and halt.

“I think I had him in the best place I’ve ever had him in before a test,” Bubby Upton told H&H after her Bramham Horse Trials dressage. “I made a mistake in my test at Kronenberg and at Belsay, so I was determined not to do that today.

“He’s an unbelievable horse in all three phases and it really is just about making sure that I have him in the right place because he is so sharp and so sensitive, so the line is very thin between unbelievable and not so good, but I was thrilled with how he performed in there.

“Something crashed in the middle of my test because I heard a huge racket and in my last half-pass, I could feel him try to blow underneath me, and I was like, ‘No, we’ve literally got three more movements to go.’

“So the last two movements sadly were a bit disrupted by that, because he just lifted up in his frame and became quite tense, but we managed to navigate our way through them, as opposed to riding it like the rest of the test felt like I could, but he did absolutely nothing wrong. He was pretty much perfection today.”

Bubby Upton: “We’ve gone back to the drawing board”

Bubby has not had an easy ride with the 11-year-old – who belongs to his rider, Susan de Zulueta, Hilary Russell, the Duchess of Norfolk, Jane Dear and Susie Holland-Bosworth – since their win here last year; they had falls at the European Championships and Pau last autumn and Kronenberg in March.

Bubby explained: “I described him last year here as a freak of nature and he really is that, but now he’s so much more experienced, what used to back him off in terms of greenness doesn’t any more. So that’s run me into trouble in the past. I have ridden him too generically, like my other horses, which has created mistakes on my part.”

After Kronenberg, Bubby started training with Andrew Nicholson.

She said. “The mistakes I had at the end of last year were me finding out things with him – like at the end of a five-star, he still had as much reaction and engine as at the start and I’d never had a horse like that before, so that was me learning on the job. Kronenberg was disappointing because it was more a flaw in my system.

“We’ve gone back to the drawing board, stripped everything back and adapted my system because he’s like no other horse in the world in the way he goes – he’s a complete freak in terms of his talent but he’s also really sensitive, with an unbelievably high head carriage.

“I put the new system into action at Belsay and training before here, so I’m really confident with what I need to do – now I’ve just got to go and do it.”

How a third back surgery has helped

Bubby suffered serious spinal injuries in a fall in August 2023 and had her third surgery as a result in November last year, because the rod in her back had snapped in half in July.

“It was almost a relief finding that out because we couldn’t get on top of the pain and the symptoms I was struggling with and that explained why,” she said.

“So I have genuinely felt like a new person since my last surgery – I feel nearly back to the Bubby that I was pre-accident. I’m now riding nine, 10, 11 horses a day, pain-free, and it’s the first time in two and a half years that I’m on no painkillers. As always, I’m so grateful to my incredible surgeon, Dr Ivan Timofeev.”

Bubby no longer has the structures in her back that would usually hold up the spinal column.

“Without the metal, I was never meant to be able to function, so we’re now relying on muscle strength, so in Pilates and the gym, I’m just really focusing on the muscles that will hopefully allow me to do this for longer,” she said.

Bubby has 0.6 of a penalty lead over Yasmin Ingham and Gypsie Du Loir, with yesterday’s leader Piggy March and MCS Maverick in third.

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Young stars including a clone lead the way after first day of Bramham dressage

Pippa Roome — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:34:51 +0000

Alex Hua Tian holds first place in the CCI4*-S after the first day of Defender Bramham Horse Trials dressage.

Cheshire-based Chinese rider Alex, who is always strong in this phase, scored 29.4 with his own nine-year-old Manjushri, known as Buddy.

“He’s always been a pretty competitive horse, but he’s green still at four-star,” said Alex Hua Tian after his Bramham Horse Trials dressage. “He ran a couple of four-stars last year and this is only his second run this year.

“I’m very happy with him – he got a bit behind my leg in there so there’s more to come, but he’s very scopey and exciting.

“I’ve had a little walk around the cross-country and it’s big enough out there, so he’s going to have to be quite brave on Saturday.

“Bramham is Bramham – it’s an iconic event. He’s a big, galloping, bold horse naturally so I think the track will really suit him. He’s here for development and education and if we can be competitive at the same time, that’d be amazing.”

Gemma Stevens holds second on Chris and Lisa Stone’s Chilli Morning clone, Chilli Morning IV, who sits one mark behind Alex and Manjushri. The chestnut, another nine-year-old, put in a great test aside from a light-hearted buck in his final change, which had Gemma laughing.

“That was fun – I actually enjoyed doing dressage, even though it’s raining,” said Gemma, who is known for not being a fan of wet, cold weather.

“He’s just lovely to ride – you can literally ride every movement, every blade of grass, and he’s so bendy, so you can really get lovely flexion and prepare him for every movement, because he’s so with you and he’s not tense.

“He’s not worried about any sort of atmosphere, he likes it, and because I’ve had him from the beginning and he’s never really missed any work, he’s had consistent training, so he’s very confident. Apart from one cheeky change at the end, which I don’t mind, he was so good everywhere else.”

Kitty King holds third on 31.6 with 14-year-old Cristal Fontaine, a horse she now owns having previously ridden him for Alex Wakeley.

“The owner decided that he wanted to move on, so he’s now mine,” she said. “I’d never sell him, because he’s not very saleable – he’s not the nicest on the ground and he’s had his few niggles, so I’m looking for anyone who’d like to become involved in the sport with a high-level horse.

“He’s been very consistent at four-star – he’s barely been out the top 10 and if there are some people who want to join in with the journey and pay towards some of his running costs with me, that would be the dream. But if not, I’m just going to be enjoying him as my horse with no pressure.”

Of the grey’s test today, Kitty said: “He did lots of nice work and then he did his normal trick of when he hits the centre line, he thinks he should be stopping. He’s reasonably lazy so as soon as you go and do anything away from home up the centre line, he’s ‘Halt, halt, halt’ and you’re ‘Get going’, so he blew a few movements.

“But when we were going forward, he did some lovely work, so there’s lots to be pleased with, and he hasn’t been at this level for a long time. The atmosphere certainly didn’t get to him, so that’s always good to know, with no arena familiarisation, so he’s very straightforward in that respect.”

Cerys Macaulay holds the lead in the under-25 national championship and ninth place overall in this class, on Wendy and Richard Coney’s Kananaskis.

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‘We’re cementing a partnership’ – Piggy March leads Bramham on horse who won here with Pippa Funnell

Pippa Roome — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:09:27 +0000

Piggy March holds the lead in the CCI4*-L after the first day of Defender Bramham Horse Trials dressage, riding MCS Maverick, who won this class in 2023 with Pippa Funnell.

“I was worried about the umbrellas and he definitely wasn’t quite what he was outside in there. He’s bright – but he was very rideable and – apart from the walk, which is cautious, and I don’t know if my pirouettes were active enough – he was good,” said Piggy.

The pair were eighth in the CCI4*-S at Bramham last year, when “Eric” was a very new ride for Piggy. They then went to Defender Burghley Horse Trials, where they had a couple of issues across country and ended up being eliminated.

“I want to go back to Burghley, because Burghley was terrible. I just rode him badly. I didn’t know him, I didn’t have a plan when I walked the course, I just wasn’t with him,” said Piggy.

“Badminton comes so quick, especially if you have a wet spring and you don’t get the runs, so I thought I want to do what’s right for me and the horse as a partnership – but I would really like to go back to Burghley.

“He’s a real galloping horse and it could suit him. He’s got all the quality there, it’s just finding the key, and there’s not a lot of places you can go and practise for Burghley, but Bramham definitely is one.

“It’s just cementing a partnership, actually having a plan of how to ride him. I’m still figuring that out and I’ve managed to get four or five runs in this year. I’m not there yet, but I feel like I’m getting to know him.

“If I go everywhere at third gear, he’s beautiful and I have a lovely time. But we’ve got to get up to speed and it’s a work in progress.

“I’m in my own little bubble and I’m just interested in where I’m at with him – whether that means I go zooming around and trying to get the time, or I’m just still putting bits together, I don’t know. Every day is a learning day with him.”

Piggy March on her Bramham Horse Trials dressage preparation

Having had quite a difficult preparation for the first phase here last year, Piggy alternated short periods of work with giving MCS Maverick breaks with his head down this time.

“He likes to put his head low – he stretches his back, he really breathes,” she said. “It’s just switching him on, switching him off, switching him on, switching him off, so he gets a bit bored of me. I’d like him to be bored of me. He’s still a weak horse so you can overwork his body.”

Selina Milnes led at lunchtime and held second at the end of the day on the Ruckers’ Cooley Snapchat, who was the 2023 CCI4*-S winner here.

“He was really good – he was actually so rideable, I could probably have done with a little bit more energy in the trot work,” said Selina, who scored 27.9 to Piggy and Eric’s 26.4.

The 12-year-old has had an interrupted spring as Selina fell off and broke two ribs just before the start of the season. This meant the horse missed some work so she withdrew from Mars Badminton Horse Trials.

“Then he went really well at Thoresby, he won the advanced at Cirencester and he was due to go to Belsay, and then I managed to fall off a youngster and do my ribs again,” she said.

“So these guys [my team] have literally kept him ticking over and he hasn’t really done a lot. I had a real course last week – I had a dressage lesson and went jumping and had a cross-country school, but he knows what he’s doing, doesn’t he?”

Badminton re-route for Berkeley

Daisy Berkeley holds third on her own, her mother Caroline Dick and Camilla Case’s Diese Du Figuier, who has been re-routed here after she pulled up at Mars Badminton Horse Trials.

“Obviously, Badminton was disappointing, but I’d agreed with the owners beforehand that if we had an early 20, we were not going to carry on, because once you’re out of the running, it’s a pretty hideous course to be riding around when you’ve lost your competitive spirit.

“So we always were going to re-route here if that was an issue, because we all love Bramham so much and it would have been a bit gutting not to be here,” said Daisy, adding that you arrive at Bramham and feel like you’re at the best event in the world.

“I did initially enter for the short, just because I thought that was just the easy, lazy option. I suddenly thought, ‘Come on, it would fit in better with my plan for the rest of the year if I went long here’. Then we’ll do another long again in the autumn, hopefully.”

The pair scored 29.5 today.

“I like riding in the rain, so, actually, I was very happy that we had this day of drizzle. It just makes life a bit easier. It keeps everyone’s heads down and moisturises my ancient dry eyes,” said Daisy.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with him in there. He was really obedient, got both his changes. He ‘fell over’ in the last halt, but he halted square, at least, so that was good. To be in the 20s is always nice.

“I know there’s going to be some very good ones, but I don’t care about what everyone else is doing, as long as we can do the best performance, me and him, that we can do, and see what happens in the end.”

Ibble Watson rounds out the sub-30 tests in fourth on Aristoteles S Z, and Alex Bragg is fifth on Jaeger Master.

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