Medals galore for British Charles Owen Eventing squad at the European Championships
A thrilling final day of the 2017 European Championships for Ponies sees the British Charles Owen squad bringing home a haul of medals from Kaposvár, Hungary.
GB’s Georgina Herrling, who led from Thursday’s dressage phase on a score of 40.9, had no room for error in today’s show jumping, as just one fence down would see the 14 year old moved off the top of the leader board; but a perfect clear round secured her individual gold on the eight year old stallion SF Detroit.
A fabulous cross country round yesterday from Saffie Osborne, on Lord and Lady Blyth’s 12 year old mare Little Indian Feather, moved them up the rankings to go into the arena this afternoon in individual bronze position. After another faultless show jumping round, and a fence down from second placed Liloi Lourde Rocheblave for France, the duo completed on their dressage score of 42.8 penalties to win the individual silver medal.
Final team rider Saffron Cresswell (16) and her 12 year old gelding Cuffesgrange Little Ric, put yesterday’s cross country faults behind them and today brought home another clear show jumping round for the British Charles Owen team, helping them to a brilliant silver medal. France took gold on 141.6 penalties, GB silver on 152.4 and Ireland took bronze with 170.2.
Individual rider, 15 year old Oliver Jackson and Isabel White’s 12 year old gelding Daydream Fourteen, picked up 11 faults from the show jumping today, eight from two fences down and three time faults, to finish his first Championship in 22nd place. Also riding as an individual, Molly Faulkner (15) ended her competition on a high with a clear round on John Thornton’s 13 year old gelding Sycamore Lad, finishing in 25th place.
British Charles Owen squad final results (*denotes team rider)
Individual Gold – Georgina Herrling*, 40.9
Individual Silver – Saffron Osborne*, 42.8
21st – Saffron Cresswell*, 68.7
22nd – Oliver Jackson, 69.1
25th – Molly Faulkner, 75.2
Connie Gill* – sadly eliminated on the cross country
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.