Hoekstra choses British team for La Baule Nations Cup

World Class showjumping performance manager Rob Hoekstra has announced the British squad for the first leg of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup in La Baule, France on Friday, 14 May.

Rob has selected a mix of youth and experience with Michael Whitaker (GIG Amai), Peter Charles (Murka’s Pom d’Ami), Mark Armstrong (Thesaura), David McPherson (Naomi 152) and Scott Brash (Intertoy Z).

Peebles-based Scott (25) will be making his Super League debut. “I’m really looking forward to it,” he told H&H.

“Rob let me know that I’d be going a few weeks ago, so I’ve got the horse as fit as he possible can be, I’m doing a few warm-up shows and he feels as good as he’s ever been.”

La Baule is the first of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup’s eight legs. Great Britain’s participation had been in doubt when the FEI relegated the team to the Promotional League for 2010.

This decision was overturned by the Court of Arbitration last month after an appeal by the British Equestrian Federation (BEF).

A squad of British Para Showjumping riders will also make the journey to La Baule to compete in an international competition taking place on 14 May, during the Nations Cup competition.

They will take part in a range of competitions ranging from 70cms up to 1.20m, graded according to the riders’ disability, including a competition for the guided blind.

Seventeen-year-old Toby Bevins from Chippenham in Wiltshire will ride Caroline Phillips’ 10-year-old chestnut gelding Askan Van Overis.

Nineteen-year-old Alex McNamara from Louth in Lincolnshire will partner his own 14-year-old skewbald gelding Just Azbach.

Karen Bostock from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire will ride her own eight-year-old chestnut gelding Rossini IV.

Heather Bennett from Goole, North Hunberside will take two horses; Uptown, a nine year-old chestnut gelding and Relite, a 12-year-old bay mare.

Susi Rogers-Hartley from Kings Lynn in Norfolk will ride her own Dante Silver Dollar, a nine-year-old grey gelding.

Louise Hacker from Clevedon, North Somerset will ride her own nine-year-old brown gelding Enrico IV.

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