Can Britain win team gold at the Blenheim European Championships? We think so!

It’s a time of change and new faces for many major nations, but H&H eventing editor Pippa Roome backs Britain for top spot

Britain will start as favourites for a third consecutive team gold in our Agria Blenheim European Championships medal predictions, but with Ros Canter unavailable for selection owing to her pregnancy, the split of team and individual contenders from the squad of six isn’t obvious, with that final decision to come after the first horse inspection.

Paris 2024 heroes Laura Collett (London 52) and Tom McEwen (JL Dublin) are surely nailed on to spearhead the team effort. My bet is on them being joined by the reliable five-star pair Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJ, plus Bubby Upton with Bramham winner Its Cooley Time.

Yasmin and Bubby are both young but have the winning mindset and reigning world champion Yasmin already has considerable championship experience.

Bubby is a senior squad debutante, but won’t be there to make up numbers.

That would leave Piggy March on the sparky stallion Halo and last year’s Pau winners Caroline Harris – a championship first-timer – and D. Day as individuals.

A post-Olympic year often marks a changing of the guard as horses retire – selectors may be trying out new pairs with a view to shaping up a squad for Los Angeles 2028 qualification and participation.

With Julia Krajewski withdrawing from selection due to feeling Blenheim wouldn’t suit Uelzener’s Nickel and Sandra Auffarth focusing on pure showjumping, Michael Jung (FischerChipmunk FRH) is the only out-and-out superstar on the German squad. He’s likely to be joined by Malin Hansen-Hotopp (Carlitos Quidditch K) and Jérôme Robiné (Black Ice) to form the backbone of the German effort.

Individually, Michael and Laura are likely to be locked into a head-to-head for the top honours.

The French team have lost the super-experienced Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold HDC from their squad after a horse injury and field a relatively inexperienced group – all but Astier Nicolas make their championship debut or have been to just one championship previously. Astier (Alertamalib’Or) and Sebastien Cavaillon (Elipso De La Vigne), who both went very well at Bramham in June, are likely to lead the way.

If any of these three front-running nations falter, Switzerland, Ireland or Belgium are the ones to step into the gap. Switzerland will be led by the experienced Felix Vogg (Frieda) and Belgium by Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hooney D’Arville. Full Monty De Lacense (Aoife Clark), Millridge Atlantis (Ian Cassells) and Pomp N Circumstance (Padraig McCarthy) are notably exciting younger horses in the Irish squad and ones to watch for the future.

Italy, Austria and Sweden also field teams, with eight other nations sending one or two individuals.

Blenheim European Championships team medal predictions

Gold: Britain
Silver: Germany
Bronze: France

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