British teams prepare for Nations Cup challenges

Two more rounds of Nations Cups take place this week, with British teams heading to Italy and Portugal.

The second leg of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup takes place on Friday (28 May) in Rome.

Performance manager Rob Hoekstra has selected a top class squad of horsemen in Michael Whitaker (GIG Amai) and Peter Charles (Murkas Pom D’Ami), both fresh from the team’s equal third place in La Baule; John Whitaker (back in action on Peppermill), Nick Skelton (Carlo 273) and Ben Maher (Robin Hood W).

Host nation Italy joins this round of the Super League while on home soil — taking the number of nations competing to 11 — and could spring a surprise.

In Lisbon on Sunday, chef d’equipe Di Lampard is hoping to emulate Team GB’s recent four-star win in Linz, Austria with her team of Tim Stockdale (Fresh Direct Kalico Bay), Robert Bevis (Courtney 6), William Funnell (Billy Congo) and Charlotte Platt (Paulien II). The latter two are both making their first team appearances since 2008.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now