Anyone lucky enough to be watching this year’s showjumping at Royal Windsor Horse Show is in for a treat as the event has attracted possibly its greatest ever line-up of showjumping entries this year.
Whether you’re an armchair viewer following the action via the live stream or you are fortunate enough to have a ringside seat at Royal Windsor Horse Show (here’s how to get your tickets), there’s a line-up fit for a king as we welcome the reigning European and Olympic champions, some of the top ranked showjumpers in the world and a rich assortment of championship medallists and all-round legends (yes, John Whitaker, that’s you).
Royal Windsor Horse Show British showjumping entries
With a jam-packed showjumping calendar taking our British stars abroad for much of the year, a five-star show on home soil is a rare chance to see your favourites up close. Here are the key names to look out for in the CSI5* classes and beyond.
Scott Brash will be heading to Windsor this week.
(Image credit: Elli Birch/Boots And Hooves)
Windsor regular Scott Brash returns to Berkshire as the new world number two and is joined by the British world number four Ben Maher.
They are accompanied this year by British team-mates Matt Sampson – and his Canadian fianceée Kara Chad – Adrian Whiteway, Jodie Hall McAteer and Joe Stockdale. We’ve been thrilled to see Joe’s championship mare Cacharel on the comeback trail after injury and the 15-year-old makes a welcome return at Windsor.
“I think she’s better than before,” says Joe, who also takes centre stage on team stalwart Ebanking and Laska JDV. “Maybe it was having the break, but she’s full on, ears pricked everywhere, she’s loving it.”
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For 2024 Olympic gold medallist Harry Charles, Royal Windsor showground will be a home away from home with his wife Eve Jobs and sister Sienna also competing in the CSI5* classes. Harry, 26, has unfinished business in Sunday’s feature class, the Rolex grand prix, after finishing third last year with top horse Sherlock.
“I was second or third in a few grands prix last year, but Windsor was the one that really kept me up at night because I thought I could have won that one,” says Harry, who also brings Casquo Blue as his second horse. “It’s a really fantastic line-up this year though, so Sherlock will need to be in his very best form – but he had a great pre-season in Doha, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Representing the formidable Whitaker clan are John, his son Robert, and nephew Jack, with an assortment of crowd-favourite horses.
John brings “Big Frank” – or Equine America Unick Du Francport – plus regular partner Sharid and the exciting nine-year-old stallion Cornets Olona, who is just stepping up to the top level.
Robert, meanwhile, has entered his Hickstead Derby and dual King George heroes 20-year-old Gentlemen VH Veldhof and Equine America Vermento. He also brings rising star Strike A Pose, a home-bred son of Robert’s great Catwalk IV.
International Royal Windsor entries
There will be further sibling rivalry to enjoy from Belgian brothers Nicola and Thibault Philippaerts, both of whom will be chasing the show’s immense prize money.
Ireland fields just one competitor this year in Daniel Coyle. He brings Daydream, Farrel and Gisborne VDL, who is fresh from a gold medal-winning Nations Cup performance with Irish young rider Aidan O’Brien, who will be contesting Saturday’s under-25 national class.
World number three and reigning European champion Richard Vogel has just returned to Europe from a successful few months competing in USA. While we’d love to see him here on phenomenal stallion United Touch S, we’re excited to see him aboard nine-year-old Cardentos and multi-winning Kannan stallion Gangster Montdesir, who is a “very exciting addition to my string,” says Richard.
“He arrived last September – so a new partnership – but right away I had a super feeling with him,” he adds.
Underlining the wealth of talent that continues to emerge from Germany is Richard’s countryman and fellow champion, the 2024 Olympic gold medallist Christian Kukuk, who is joined by the equally formidable competitor Daniel Deusser, a two-time winner of the show’s opening CSI5* class, the pearl stakes.
Returning to defend his Rolex grand prix crown in the newly renamed Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Castle Arena is Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet. He earned the £105,000 top prize for the second time last year on the magnificent stallion Bond Jamesbond De Hay, but brings Double Jeu D’Honvault, Ace Of Hearts and Romance Van De Padenborre for the five-star classes this time around.
“I don’t think there is another show where I have had so much success in a five-star grand prix,” says Gregory.
But never underestimate the Swiss either! The mighty duo of Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat are great friends as well as fierce rivals and the masters of big-course jumping, having amassed a sizable haul of medals between them. Martin in particular has great form at the show as a dual winner of Windsor’s Rolex grand prix as well as the King’s Cup and the opening five-star class last year.
“I love it at Windsor and my horses enjoy jumping there,” says Martin.
Crowd favourite Laura Kraut (USA) brings top horses Bisquetta, Tres Bien Z and debuts new ride, the 10-year-old Carquilara PS, to a British audience.
Sweden’s former world number one Henrik von Eckermann is shortlisted for Sweden’s 2026 World Championship squad and always asserts his dominance. He is another past winner of the Rolex grand prix and will be riding “hot” and “on it” mare Iliana, a winner in front of Windsor Castle back in 2022, plus Calizi and new ride Hylanderhof’s Saruschka.
With 2022 World Championship silver medallist Harrie Smolders (NED) and storming Luxembourg rider Victor Bettendorf also in attendance, the stage is set for an absolute thriller.
Young riders to watch
Two stand-out young stars we always enjoy watching are coming to Royal Windsor. France’s Nina Mallevaey, 26, is such a refreshing talent and recently rocketed into the world’s top 10 for the first time, currently ranked number six.
Twenty-six-year-old Nina is currently ranked sixth in the world.
(Image credit: Rolex)
Nina, who is trained by Helena Stormanns and is a veteran of children’s, junior and young rider European Championships, is already a multi-five-star grand prix winner but will be making her Royal Windsor debut.
“Growing up, watching the world’s best riders on incredible horses felt like a dream and this inspired me so much,” she says.
Local rider Olivia Sponer, 19, meanwhile is back to defend her under-25 crown in Sunday’s national competition. She described her 2025 success with then 10-year-old Kookie W as a “bucket-list win”.
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
