Update: Since this story was published it has been announced that Michael Whitaker will ride Viking after Amai has been ruled out of WEG.
The showjumping squad that will represent Great Britain at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games has been named.
Young guns
The five selected riders are Scott Brash (Hello Sanctos), Ben Maher (Cella), Joe Clee (Utamaro d’Ecaussines), Spencer Roe (Wonder Why)and Michael Whitaker (Amai). Four will make the team, while one will also head to Normandy as a travelling reserve.
Olympic and European gold medallists Ben and Scott were virtual certainties for the team, and indeed they have also been selected as reserves with their second string horses,Wings Sublieme and Ursula.
Scott and Ben are joined by their two team mates from last weekend’s final FEI Nations Cup leg, Joe and Spencer. The quartet finished second in Dublin and secured their spot in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final, saving Britain from relegation to Division Two.
Mix of experience
Chef d’equipe Rob Hoekstra described the team as an ‘exciting’ mix of youth and experience. “We have guys with medal experience at the highest levels and a couple here for the first time. What they all have is lots of clear rounds in them which is what you need to win at Championship level; I think it sends out a message that for those who are jumping well there are always opportunities to make it.”
“I’m looking forward to the World Games. We’re aiming for a top five team placing to secure our qualification for Rio but when we get there it would be nice to add a world title to the ones we’ve already got,” he added.
Selections
It’s been a tricky task selecting the team for WEG, after 11 top British horses were ruled out in the run up to the Games – the highest profile of these being Nick Skelton’s Big Star, who is injured.
Rising talents Joe Clee (36) and Spencer Roe (21) have been given the chance to prove themselves throughout the FEI Nations Cup series, and both could well have the chance to step up to senior championship level.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Clee. “If you’d told me at the start of the year that my season was going to go like this, I wouldn’t have believed you.”
His team mate Roe added: “It’s still sinking in. Disney is an absolute horse of a lifetime. I always knew he would be good enough but for us both to be in this position so quickly is hard to believe.”
Stalwart
Team GB stalwart Michael Whitaker has also been selected, despite some alleged tensions between him and Rob Hoekstra, when the chef d’equipe did not send a Nations Cup team to the valuable CHIO Aachen horse show.
“I’m very happy to be selected and we’re obviously heading out there to try and win something; we’ve taken home titles from the last two championships so to make it three in a row would be fantastic,” said Whitaker.
Four selected riders will compete as individuals at the Championships, as well as representing Great Britain in the team competition, where the three best scores count towards the team result.
In the individual competition, all four rounds count towards qualification for the individual final, which sees the top four riders compete on their own and each other’s horses.
The showjumping event takes place from 1-7 September 2014 in Caen.
Meet the squad
- Scott Brash MBE (28) from Scotland with Lady Kirkham & Lord & Lady Harris’ Hello Sanctos
- Joe Clee (36) based in Belgium with Ludwig Criel’s Utamaro d’Ecaussines
- Ben Maher MBE (31) from Hertfordshire with Mrs Jane Forbes Clark’s Cella
- Spencer Roe (21) from Lincolnshire with Sally Roe’s Wonder Why
- Michael Whitaker (54) from Nottinghamshire entered on both Amai, owned by Beatrice Mertens and Viking V, owned by Michael himself