Sarah Bullimore and Corouet get the Euros call-up, six years after the gelding’s dam, Lilly Corinne, contested the 2015 European Championships. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Following their runaway victory at Tokyo, British Equestrian has named the six horses and riders who will fly the Union Jack at the forthcoming European Eventing Championships, set to take place in Avenches, Switzerland, from September 22-26.
The squad of six has been named in alphabetical order, with a further announcement expected in due course to specify which four combinations will be part of the team and which two will represent Great Britain as individuals.
- Sarah Bullimore (48) based in Keysoe, Bedfordshire, with the Kew Jumping Syndicate, Brett Bullimore and her own Corouet (chestnut, gelding, 10yrs, 15.2hh, Balou du Rouet x Lovis Corinth, Breeder: Sarah Bullimore GBR, Groom: to be confirmed)
- Rosalind Canter (35) based in Hallington, Lincolnshire, with Caroline Moore and her own Allstar B (bay, gelding, 16yrs, 17hh, Ephebe For Ever x Erkstein, Breeder: FAJ Van der Burg NED) and as a direct reserve, Michele Saul’s Lordships Graffalo (bay, gelding, 9yrs, 17hh, Grafenstolz x Rock King, Breeder: Lordships Stud Writtle College GBR, Groom: Sarah Charnley)
- Kitty King (39) based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, with Diana Bown, Sally Eyre, Samantha Wilson and Sally Lloyd-Baker’s Vendredi Biats (grey, gelding, 12yrs, 16.2hh, Winningmood x Camelia de Ruelles, Breeder: Phillipe Brivois FRA, Groom: Chloe Fry)
- Piggy March (40) based in Maidwell, Northamptonshire, with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Inocent (bay, gelding, 12yrs, 16.3hh, Inocent x Kings Servant, Breeder: John Mulvey IRL, Groom: Amy Phillips)
- Izzy Taylor (38) based in Bicester, Oxfordshire, with Mark Sartori and her own Monkeying Around (bay, gelding, 10yrs, 16.2hh, Bertoli W x Donnerhall II, Breeder: Christian Heinrich GER. Groom: Rebecca Ross)
- Nicola Wilson (44) based in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, with Deirdre Johnston and James and Jo Lambert’s JL Dublin (dark brown, gelding, 10yo, 16.2hh, Diarados Cheeky Boy x Cantano, Breeder: Volker Coettsche-Goetze GER, Groom: Ruth Asquith)
Performance Manager Richard Waygood says, “I’m very excited about this selection for the Europeans. It invests in the here and now and in the future by providing development opportunities for potential combinations for Paris and beyond.”
Helmed by reigning World Champions Ros Canter and Allstar B, the squad features some of the country’s best horses and a selection of young up-and-comers being produced for the next Olympic cycle. They’ll head to Avenches with the aim of repeating this summer’s gold medal success and bettering the silver medal won by the British squad at the 2019 European Eventing Championships, held in Luhmühlen, Germany.
