BRITAIN is welcoming an eventing European Championships back to the nation for the first time in 10 years next week when the Agria-sponsored event takes place in the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace from September 18th to 21st.

Britain has hosted the event on 11 occasions, including at this venue 20 years ago when their own Zara Phillips (now Tindall) won individual gold and William Fox-Pitt took individual silver, as well as team gold for the hosts.

As has their domination been in the sport in recent years, it would not be surprising to see a similar medal pattern next week.

Squad named

The defending Olympic champions from Paris last summer have named their squad which features gold medal winners Laura Collett (London 52), who took individual bronze in Paris, and Tom McEwen (JL Dublin); only missing from that team is arguably the best horse/rider combination the sport has ever witnessed in Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo who won Burghley last weekend and withdrew from European selection due to Ros expecting her second child.

The remainder of the squad is made up of 2024 Pau five-star winner Caroline Harris with D. Day, Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ), Piggy March (Halo) and Bubby Upton with the Irish Sport Horse Its Cooley Time (Quality Time x Heartbreaker), who was bred at Ennisnag Stud. Britain will be aiming to defend the gold medal they won at the 2023 European Championships, where Canter won individual gold and Kitty King (Vendredi Biats) took silver.

Eventing fans will get a chance to see the reigning Olympic Champions Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH back in action. The 17-year-old gelding did some show jumping in Italy over the winter before a trip across the Atlantic to win the CCI5* at Kentucky.

Goals

Laura Collett has made her goals of an individual gold medal with London 52 very clear and it is likely that another epic battle between the two greats - who both set Olympic dressage records in Paris last summer - will ensue again on British soil.

Jung is joined on the German squad by Nicolai Aldinger, Calvin Böckmann, Malin Hansen-Hotopp, Libussa Lübbeke and Jérôme Robiné.

Who looks set to challenge the front-runners? Olympians are dotted throughout, with Nicholas Touzaint - former dual European Champion - making the French team following his team silver medal at Paris 2024.

Switzerland’s rider selection mirrors that of their Paris selection, with Robin Godel, Mélody Johner, Nadja Minder and Felix Vogg announced, but only Nadja Minder will ride the same horse she took, partnering up again with Toblerone.

Sweden has a strong selection for contention, looking to secure a podium position again after their team bronze at the Europeans in 2021 and the squad features the Irish Sport Horse Govalent who, ridden by Sofia Sjöborg, counts 5* winner Cooley Rosalent as a full-sibling, both bred by the late Woods Rosbotham.

Dag Albert has selected a strong Irish squad (see bios below) with some newer horses who will be up for the challenge. From further afield, Turkey will put forward a sole rider, as Kumru Say flies the flag for her country’s first-ever appearance at this level of the sport.