Three British combinations through to the Tokyo 2020 individual medal final

Caption: Scott Brash and Jefferson © BEF / Jon Stroud Media

Showjumpers Harry Charles, Ben Maher and Scott Brash all go clear to book their places in tomorrow’s battle for individual Olympic medals

After enormous success in the dressage and eventing, equestrian heads have now turned to the showjumping, and audiences certainly weren’t disappointed! 73 combinations competed in the individual qualifier (Tuesday 3 August) for one of 30 places in the final (Wednesday 4 August) – and all three British riders offered some of the coolest rounds of the day under immense pressure to safely secure their place in the battle for medals.

Harry Charles was the first Brit to enter the ring for the showjumping and, despite being just 22 years old, showed poise and measure beyond his years to give a classy clear round – one of just 11 at that point, as poles appeared to fall left, right and centre. Originally the travelling reserve, Harry rides in place of Holly Smith and Denver in the fight for individual medals, who’ll be saving themselves to battle it out for the team medal with fresh legs.

Son of London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Peter Charles, Harry’s making his Olympic debut and will be working hard to fill the big boots that go before him. He’s partnered with his own and Ann Thompson’s Romeo 88  – a former ride of Ireland’s Darragh Kenny, who also went clear in the qualifier on board Cartello, putting down one of the fastest times so far – for just six months. No stranger to the highest levels of the sport, Harry’s been a multi-time medallist on the youth circuit, but since stepping up to senior level, the pairing has made its presence known on the continent’s CSI5* Nations Cup teams

Ben Maher and Explosion W were the next British combination to go. Owned by Ben, Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright, the incredibly athletic 12-year-old gelding was characteristically neat, stylish and careful from start to finish, proving himself as one to watch for the final podium. Setting a time of 81.34, the pair achieved the fastest clear of the day.

With a strong presence since he first exploded onto the international scene as a nine-year-old, Explosion’s competition record with Ben has seen them win grands prix most recently in Rome, New York, Prague and Valkenswaard, as well as the CSI5* at Royal Windsor. The pair also stood individual silver and team bronze medallists at the European Championships in 2019. There’s no questioning that they’ve come to this year’s Olympic Games as favourites for an individual medal.

British proceedings concluded with Scott Brash, who rode Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s Jefferson to another speedy clear. Producing a beautiful round filled with spectacular jumping efforts, the talented 12-year-old gelding took the course in his stride. Quick, powerful and super-smart – though sharp and a little quirky, as we’re told so many of the world’s top horses are – the combination has most recently won at CSI5* Valkenswaard and Stockholm, as well as two CSI4* at Saint Tropez, and Scott will certainly be hoping for individual success as well as helping Great Britain get back onto the Olympic podium after it missed out in 2016.

Ones to watch

Other notable performances came from the Irish riders – the previously mentioned Darragh Kenny as well as Bertram Allen on Pacino Amiro and Cian O’Connor on Kilkenny – who all produced clean, clear rounds to go forward to the individual final.

As well as Ireland and Great Britain, other nations sending all three of their riders through to tomorrow’s individual showjumping final – speaking volumes for the quality we’re likely to see from their countries in the team competition – will include the home of defending silver medallist Sweden’s Peder Fredricson and All In who returned with a clear round comfortably within the time. Belgium’s three riders also showed their quality when Jerome Guery, Gregory Wathelet and Niels Bruynseels all put in enviable performances to come home clear.

Home nation Japan will also be sending its three riders through to the individual final, with two (Daisuke Fukushima and Koki Saito) clear combinations and one (Eiken Sato) with just an unfortunate time penalty.

What’s next?

Today’s individual qualifier bodes incredibly well for the British medal hopes, with all three of our riders coming home safe, sound, clear and within the time ready for tomorrow’s individual final. With exactly 26 clear rounds, there’ll be no four-faulters joining us for the final and it’s just the four riders who were a second or so shy of a penalty-free performance who’ll be accompanying us. The full line-up will be made up of…

1. Great Britain’s Ben Maher and Explosion W
2. Ireland’s Kenny Darragh and Cartello
3. Israel’s Ashlee Bond and Donatello 141
4. Netherlands’ Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z
5. Canada’s Mario Deslauriers and Bardolina 2
6. Ireland’s Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro
7. Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet and Nevados S
8. Portugal’s Luciano Diniz and Vertigo Du Desert
9. Great Britain’s Scott Brash and Jefferson
10. Sweden’s Peder Fredricson and All In
11. Belgium’s Jerome Guery and Quel Homme De Hus
12. Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Killer Queen
13. Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels and Delux Van T & L
14. Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Alfons
15. Great Britain’s Harry Charles and Romeo 88
16. Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Indiana
17. France’s Nicolas Delmotte and Urvoso Du Roch
18. Japan’s Daisuke Fukushima and Chanyon
19. Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and Clooney 51
20. Latvia’s Kristaps Neretnieks and Valour
21. Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward
22. Netherlands’ Marc Houtzager and Dante
23. Egypt’s Nayel Nassar and Igo van de Wittemoere
24. Japan’s Koki Saito and Chilensky
25. Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and Kilkenny
26. Norway’s Geir Gulliksen and Quatro
27. Japan’s Eiken Sato and Saphyr des Lacs
28. Switzerland’s Beat Mandli and Dsarie
29. Egypt’s Mouda Zeyada and Galanthos SHK
30. New Zealand’s Daniel Meech and Cinca 3