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Olympic gold medal-winning partnership reunited for Britain at Europeans after horse swap

Eleanor Jones Eleanor Jones

    • There has been a horse change for the British team, in partnership with Agria, in the Longines FEI European Showjumping Championships, which kick off in Spain on Wednesday (16 July).

    Ben Maher had been selected with Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s 11-year-old stallion Point Break, but British Equestrian (BEF) and British Showjumping (BS) have confirmed this morning (14 July) that he will instead ride Dallas Vegas Batilly, owned by Ben, Ms Rossetter and Ms Wright.

    It is the same swap that was confirmed almost exactly a year ago, when Ben had been named with Point Break for the Paris Olympics but instead competed with the then 11-year-old mare – and Britain won team gold.

    In a joint statement, the BEF and BS said the decision had been made after consultation with the rider and owners.

    Dallas Vegas Batilly has been on fabulous form; she and Ben jumped double clear for Britain in the Aachen Nations Cup on 3 July, helping the team to third place and finishing fifth individually. They had also come third in the 1.60m Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe on 2 July.

    The championships are being held at Casas Novas equestrian centre in A Coruña, northwest Spain. The first horse inspection takes place on Tuesday and the showjumping starts with the speed class on Wednesday.

    The team medals will be decided on Friday and the individual placings on Sunday.

    * Update: Wednesday 16 July *

    The riders on British team duty at the Europeans have been confirmed as:

    • Ben Maher on Dallas Vegas Batilly
    • Scott Brash on Hello Folie
    • Matt Sampson  on Medoc de Toxandria
    • Donald Whitaker on Millfield Colette)

    Jessica Mendoza and In The Air will be competing as an individual.

    • To stay up to date with all the news from the European Showjumping Championships as it happens, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website today from just £1 a week. Our reporter Eleanor Jones will be on site throughout

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    Eleanor Jones
    Eleanor Jones

    H&H news editor
    Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
    Eleanor Jones

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