Competition gets under way today (16 July) at Casas Novas equestrian centre, Spain, at 3pm local time (2pm BST), and 89 combinations from 23 nations are set to start.
Britain was drawn 13th and Ireland last of 18 teams to start. First in, competing as an individual and the fifth combination to go, will be Jessica Mendoza with her own, Georgia Kipp, Kristi Mitchem, Melissa Skowlund and Pernilla Amman’s In The Air.
First for the team (17th to go) will be Matt Sampson with Unex Competition Yard and Rachel and William Gredley’s Medoc De Toxandria. Donald Whitaker is next (36th), with Reitsportanlage Dagobertshausen’s Millfield Colette, followed by Scott Brash (58th) and Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham’s Hello Folie. Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly, owned by Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright, is the anchorman (82nd).
Ireland has five combinations competing. Denis Lynch and Tipperary’s Finest’s Vistogrand will be their team pathfinders, the 22nd combination in the ring. Seamus Hughes Kennedy and Clare Hughes’ ESI Rocky will be next in (41st), followed by Bertram Allen with Ballywalter Stables’ Conquest De Rigo (66th). The anchorman is Darragh Kenny with Carol Sollak’s Eddy Blue (89th). Daniel Coyle and Legacy will be competing as individuals, drawn 67th on the startlist.
All team and individual riders and horses will contest today’s opening speed class, after which their scores will be converted into penalties. They will all also jump tomorrow in the first round of the team competition. The top 10 teams and top 50 individuals will jump on Friday, when the team medals will be decided, and the top 25 will contest the individual final on Sunday.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
