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Top British team rider pregnant and will miss Europeans: ‘I’ll be cheering the team on’

Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

    • Ros Canter is pregnant with her second child and will miss this autumn’s European Eventing Championships. The double Mars Badminton Horse Trials winner and reigning European champion posted on Facebook this evening that she, her husband Chris McAleese and daughter Ziggy “are very excited to say that we are expecting our second baby in early 2026”.

    “Whilst I’ll be missing the upcoming European Championship selection, I’ll be cheering the team on every step of the way!” she added.

    Ros won the Magic CCI4*-S at the NAF Five Star Hartpury Horse Trials last week with her top horse Lordships Graffalo, with whom she has contested the last three senior championships, winning double European gold in Haras du Pin 2023 and Olympic team gold in Paris in 2024.

    She was long-listed for the Agria European Championships at Blenheim Palace in September with three horses – Lordships Graffalo, Luhmühlen Horse Trials winner Izilot DHI and MHS Seventeen.

    While Ros Canter will undoubtedly be missed from the British team effort having announced she is pregnant, the home side still has the potential to field a very strong squad at Blenheim.

    The other long-listed pairs are Laura Collett (London 52), Caroline Harris (Cooley Mosstown and D. Day), Yasmin Ingham (Rehy DJ), Emily King (Valmy Biats), Piggy March (Halo), Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal and Et Hop Du Matz), Tom McEwen (JL Dublin and Brookfield Quality), Gemma Stevens (Flash Cooley), Oliver Townend (Ballaghmor Class and Cooley Rosalent) and Bubby Upton (Cola and Its Cooley Time).

    Harry faces a race against time to be fit for Defender Burghley Horse Trials and the Europeans, should he be selected, following a recent bicycle accident.

    All nations have to file their nominated entries (up to 18 pairs from which their squad will be chosen) by the end of 18 August and their definite entries (the final squad) by the end of 1 September, although the British squad is likely to be revealed before then. Nations can field up to six pairs – a team of four and two individuals.

    The British long-list of 18 nominated entries was announced in June, but it’s very possible that the selectors will now replace Ros’s three entries with another three horses before the entries are actually submitted, to give themselves multiple options in the case of injury or loss of form.

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    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
    Pippa Roome

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