Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette, pictured helping Great Britain into the silver medal-winning position at the European Showjumping Championships, as well as finishing 10th individually.
One fence separates the top seven combinations in the individual final at the Longines FEI European Showjumping Championships – as Scott Brash and Hello Folie remain in the silver medal position at this stage, and four Brits are through to the final showdown.
The top 25 combinations came forward to contest the first round of this afternoon’s (20 July) astonishingly close competition. Course-designer Santiago Varela upped the ante with certain lines offering striding options, and a tight time allowed of 76 seconds in this first round.
Four of the five Brits had made it through to today’s final; Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette in 18th, Jessica Mendoza and In The Air 16th, Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly eighth and Scott Brash and Hello Folie second.
Going into the first round, only two poles separated the top 25 and only one pole the top 13. This meant to make it through to the second round – when only 12 come back – a clear was a must. All four Brits delivered and have sealed their places in the second round, where a pole now separates the top seven.
Donald Whitaker lies in 11th, Jessica ninth, Ben in fourth and Scott remains in the silver medal position.
“Colette jumped her heart out once more, she’s absolutely fantastic,” said Donald, after his first round.
“The course walked a bit more difficult than it looks like it’s riding; there were quite a lot of stride options from the first line to the last. It was quite big as well.”
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Jessica Mendoza was thrilled with In The Air.
“I think she was a little tired today, but she stuck her teeth into it,” she said.
“It’s a different course from the other day, there’s a lot of big gaps between the fences so I think he’s testing us a bit more with the time allowed and our control.”
Ben and Dallas Vegas Batilly looked on their usual brilliant form, as did Scott and Hello Folie. Scott had his work cut out as Folie looked keen to get on with the job, rattling the oxer at fence 5 and the first part of the combination at fence seven, but Scott used his expertise to guide them home clear.
There was disappointment for reigning champion Steve Guerdat who was in the bronze medal position with Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte, but an agonising knock of the final fence dropped them down to 12th going into the second round.
European Showjumping Championships individual final second round
The top 12 combinations now come back to contest a second round over a different course. Germany’s Richard Vogel and United Touch S remain in the gold medal spot, and Belgium’s Gilles Thomas and Ermitage Kalone in third, behind Scott and Hello Folie.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
