GBR Dressage 2015 European squad named

British Dressage selectors have announced the UK Sport National Lottery funded dressage squad for the upcoming FEI European Championships, which take place in Aachen, Germany (12-16 August 2015).

This summer’s event is the last major Championship before next year’s Olympic Games in Rio, where GBR will be represented having already qualified a Dressage team place following Team Silver at the World Equestrian Games in 2014.

The selected squad has been named as (in alphabetical order):

• Fiona Bigwood (39) from Horsham, West Sussex with Penny Bigwood’s Atterupgaards Orthilia
• Charlotte Dujardin OBE (30) from Newent, Gloucestershire with Mrs Roly Luard, Mrs Anne Barrott and Mr Carl Hester’s Valegro
• Michael Eilberg (28) from Redditch, Worcestershire with Mr Ferdi Eilberg’s Marakov
• Carl Hester MBE (48) from Newent, Gloucestershire with Miss Jane de la Mare and his own Nip Tuck

Chef d’Equipe Richard Waygood commented; “I’m delighted once again to be taking such a strong British team to a European Championships. I’m looking forward to working with Fiona, as she gets her call-up to the team for the first time since WEG 2010, and for Michael to have a new Championship ride is very exciting.

“We’re in the envious position that yet again we have competitive riders on the team, and looking ahead this is yet another good stepping-stone on the road to Rio.”

Selected Reserves (in order of selection):

• Spencer Wilton (42) from Thatcham, Berkshire with Jen Goodman and his own British Bred Super Nova II
• Anna Ross (42) from Salisbury, Wiltshire with Mrs Jane Sewell’s Die Callas

All four selected athletes contest the team competition (with the three best scores counting); the top thirty athletes after the Grand Prix [team test] then go forward to contest the Grand Prix Special, with only the top fifteen athletes progressing through to the Grand Prix Freestyle.