Laura Collett rode a perfect show jumping round on London 52 under the greatest of pressure at the climax of the Agria FEI Eventing European Championship to become Britain’s 21st individual gold medallist since the classification began in 1955.
In the end, only 1.3 penalties separated Laura from her chief rival Michael Jung, a three-time European champion and triple Olympic gold medallist, who was also faultless in the show jumping, on FischerChipmunk FRH, and led the German team to a convincing seventh European team victory.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin were the only other British combination left in the competition after yesterday’s dramatic cross-country and they deservedly took the individual bronze medal, also with a flawless show jumping round.
Ireland finished triumphant with team silver, the country’s first European medal for 30 years, with their best-placed rider Padraig McCarthy, who jumped clear for 12th place individually on Pomp N Circumstance.
France took bronze as they did in 2023, overtaking Switzerland in the final phase thanks to three clear rounds from Alexis Goury, Astier Nicolas and Sebastian Cavaillon.
“I can’t tell you how much I’ve wanted this, especially for the horse,” said an emotional Laura of her own. Karen Bartlett and Keith Smith’s 16-year-old London 52. “There have been so many times I have felt I have let him down and now I’ve got the title I so wanted.
“We came so close in Paris [individual bronze] and to have another head-to-head with Michael – it’s what makes the sport so special.”
In turn, Michael, who was collecting the 21st and 22nd medals of his extraordinary career, said: “I really enjoyed the whole week. We had three super rounds. Chipmunk is a special horse, and the team was well prepared and we had all the luck this time.”
Tom McEwen, who has two Olympic team golds and an individual silver to his name, has now won an individual medal on JL Dublin, the European champion in 2021 with Britain’s Nicola Wilson. He said that: “Dubs” was “phenomenal – and he was beaten by two of the best horses in the sport”.
Michael Jung summed up: “We have had super sport and the crowd was amazing. It was challenging and to win in Britain, which is such a strong equestrian country, fells great.”
In the highly competitive GFS Saddles 8 & 9 Year Old CCI4*-S, New Zealander Samantha Lissington and Quantas R held onto the top spot by finishing bang on the optimum time. Gemma Stevens was second on Cooley Park Muze and Sarah Bullimore third on Corimiro.
