William Funnell faces WEG threat
An injury to William Funnell’s top horse at Dublin may put his British team place in jeopardy
Top British show jumper William Funnell is in doubt for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) show jumping team – and fellow rider Richard Davenport is declining the chance to jump at the final trial.
William’s ride, Denise Stamp’s Cortaflex Amber Du Montois, was injured after the grand prix at Royal Dublin, forcing William to withdraw from the Gijon Nations Cup where team manager Derek Ricketts plans to select his final team of four for WEG. William will be taking Cortaflex Machiavelli to Gijon instead.
This could leave the field open for Dutch-based British rider Richard Davenport, who was controversially left off the initial short-list of five for the WEG team.
At the time, Ricketts said: “If I’d chosen six riders then Richard would have been included.”
William’s place at Gijon has been offered to Richard Davenport, but the 22-year-old said: “At this stage, I’m not prepared to go to Gijon and jump-off for a place on the team. My horse, Grand Marnier, is better fresh and I don’t want to do it.
“It’s a very long journey to Spain from Holland when you’re not sure of a team place at the end of it.”
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Richard was the top British rider at the recent Royal International Horse Show.
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