Wednesday, 26 June 2024
The British Olympic Association (BOA) has today announced the three squads of riders who will travel to France this summer to represent Team GB in the equestrian competitions at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The squad of four representing dressage offers a mix of experience and young talent with Carl Hester set to compete in his seventh Games while his protégé Charlotte Dujardin will be hoping to become Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, should she claim a medal in Paris of any colour. Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Fry will be looking to build on her Tokyo experience and is reigning World Champion, whilst Becky Moody will look to make her Games debut.
Team GB’s eventing team will be looking to defend their Olympic title from Tokyo, a first since 1972, and two members of that squad, Laura Collett and Tom McEwen, have been named in the foursome. Ros Canter, who was the travelling reserve for Tokyo 2020, will be hoping for a first Olympic competition appearance, as will reigning World Champion Yasmin Ingham from the Isle of Man.
Paris 2024 will be a fifth Olympic Games for current Olympic individual jumping champion, Ben Maher, and he is joined by Tokyo 2020 Olympians Scott Brash and Harry Charles. Debutant of the group is Joe Stockdale, whose father Tim represented Team GB at Beijing in 2008.
Rider and horse combinations will be submitted by July 8 to Paris 2024 as part of the Sport Entry process for the Games.
Team GB Chef de Mission, Mark England said: “A huge congratulations to all the athletes, grooms, and horse owners named today as we select the three squads of equestrian riders that will travel to Paris to compete for Team GB.
“There is an incredible wealth of experience across all three disciplines, with some athletes set to compete at their fourth, fifth and seventh Olympic Games this summer, which will undoubtedly stand them in good stead in Paris. I look forward to watching them compete at the historic Palace of Versailles in a months’ time.”
Helen Nicholls, Equestrian Team Leader commented; “I’m exceptionally proud of the 12 athlete combinations and their connections who will travel to Paris across the three disciplines of equestrian. We have an exciting balance of experience, talent and potential, and we head to the Games in a strong position, and with medal ambitions. The hours of preparation, enormous sacrifice and total dedication will now be put to the ultimate test. The teams behind the athletes – both equine and human – have left no stone unturned in their quest to support them to their very best performances.
“The Olympic Games give us the opportunity to showcase our amazing sports and the unique bond between horse and rider to a new legion of supporters as well as give the equestrian community the chance to be part of Team GB and their family of sports. Here’s to making lifelong memories, achieving dreams and hopefully medal celebrations.”
The Olympic equestrian events will run from 27 July to 6 August at the historic Palace of Versailles and riders will compete across six medal events: team and individual in each of the disciplines.
Details in alphabetical order:
Charlotte Dujardin (38) from Newent, Gloucestershire, with Carl Hester and Coral Ingham’s Imhotep (chestnut, gelding, 10yrs, 16.2hh, Everdale x Vivaldi, Breeder: T. Huizing NED) Groom: Francesca Gorni
Charlotte Fry (28) from Den Hout, the Netherlands, and originally from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, with Van Olst Horses and her own Glamourdale (black, stallion, 13yrs, 16.3hh, Lord Leatherdale x Negro, Breeder: J. Rodenburg NED) Groom: Richard Hauwaerts
Carl Hester (56) from Newent, Gloucestershire, with Fiona Bigwood, Mette Dahl and his own Fame (bay, stallion, 14yrs, 16.2hh, Bordeaux 28 x Rhodium, Breeder: V. O. F. G. and M. Gerritsen NED) Groom: Lucy Scudamore
Becky Moody (44) from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, with Jo Cooper and her own Jagerbomb (bay, gelding, 10yrs, 17.1hh, Dante Weltino x Jazz, Breeder: Becky Moody GBR) Groom: Kim Masson
Rosalind Canter (38) from Hallington, Lincolnshire, with Michele and Archie Saul’s Lordships Graffalo (bay, gelding, 12yrs, 17hh, Birkhof’s Grafenstolz x Rock King, Breeder: Lordships Stud, Writtle College and Pennie Wallace GBR) Groom: Sarah Charnley
Laura Collett (34) from Salperton, Gloucestershire, with Karen Bartlett, Keith Scott and her own London 52 (bay, gelding, 14yrs, 16.3hh, Landos x Quinar, Breeder: Ocke Riewerts GER) Groom: Tilly Hughes
Yasmin Ingham (27) based in Nantwich, Cheshire and originally from the Isle of Man, with Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund’s Banzai du Loir (chestnut, gelding, 13yrs, 16.2hh, Nouma D’Auzay x Livarot, Breeder: Pierre Gouye FRA) Groom: Alison Bell
Tom McEwen (33) from Stroud, Gloucestershire, with James and Jo Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin (dark brown, gelding, 13yrs, 16.2hh, Diarado x Cantano, Breeder: Volker Göttsche-Götze GER) Groom: Adam Short
Scott Brash (38) from Horsham, West Sussex and originally from Peebles, Scotland, with Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham’s Hello Jefferson (bay, gelding, 15yrs, 16.1hh, Cooper van de Heffinck x Irco Mena, Breeder: Bernard Mols BEL) Groom: David Honnet
Harry Charles (24) from Alton, Hampshire, with Ann Thompson and his own Romeo 88 (bay, gelding, 15yrs, 17hh, Contact van de Heffink x Orlando, Breeder: Picobello Horses BEL) Groom: Georgia Ellwood
Ben Maher (41) from Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, with Charlotte Rossetter, Pamela Wright and his own Point Break (bay, stallion, 10yrs, 16.2hh, Action-Breaker x Baloubet du Rouet, Breeder: Nya Äppelvikens Ridskola AB SWE) Groom: Derren Lake
Joseph Stockdale (24) from Roade, Northamptonshire, with Joy Cocklin and Laura Stockdale’s Cacharel (bay, mare, 13yrs, 17hh, Cachas x Quinar, Breeder: Bohm Helmut GER) Groom: Charlotte Attwell
You can listen to and download an audio clip quote from each athlete via britishequestrian.cre8media.net