Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. Photo by Abby Powell.
Few teams for Pratoni have been so hotly anticipated as that of the Brits, who currently hold most of the medals available in the sport of eventing and are, predictably, absolutely front-loaded with formidable talent ahead of this year’s World Championships. And so, without further ado, let’s take a look at who’s been picked to fly the Union Jack, in alphabetical order:
- Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo – 10-year-old British-bred Sport Horse gelding (Grafenstolz x Cornish Queen, by Rock King), owned by Michele Saul. Groom: Sarah Charnley
- Laura Collett and London 52 – 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Landos x Vernante, by Quinar Z), owned by Keith Scott, Karen Bartlett, and the rider. Groom: Tilly Hughes
- Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir – 11-year-old Selle Français gelding (Nouma d’Auzay x Gerboise du Cochet, by Livarot), owned by Jeanette Chin and Sue Davies. Alison Bell
- Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser – 15-year-old Selle Français gelding (Diamant de Semilly x Ariane du Prieure II, by Papillon Rouge), owned by Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Inns, and Ali McEwen. Groom: Francesca Gorni
- Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class – 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Courage II x Kilderry Place, breeding unknown), owned by Karyn Schuter, Angela Hislop, and Val Ryan. Groom: Charlotte Holifield. Direct reserve: Swallow Springs – 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Chillout x Kilila, by Cult Hero), owned by Paul and Diana Ridgeon
The reserve combinations are as follows, listed in alphabetical order by athlete surname:
- Sarah Bullimore and Corouet
- Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel
- Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI
- William Fox- Pitt and Little Fire
- Kitty King and Vendredi Biats
The British team incorporates the entirety of last year’s gold medal winning Tokyo Olympics team, and features reigning World Champion Ros Canter, though this time, aboard the exciting up-and-comer Lordships Graffalo, with whom she finished second in a tough renewal of Badminton this year. Similarly representing the young guns is eleven-year-old Banzai du Loir, who was second in his five-star debut at Kentucky this spring with 25-year-old Yasmin Ingham, who makes her Senior championship debut in Italy after representing Great Britain at the Pony and Young Rider levels.
Great Britain have previously won team gold six times, in 1970, 1982, 1986, 1994, 2010, and 2018. They’ve also claimed five of the fourteen individual gold medals awarded since the inception of the World Championships at Burghley in 1966, and will come to Pratoni as the double reigning champions. The final assignations of the four team slots and one individual place will be allocated and announced closer to the competition.
