British eventing enjoyed one of its finest days in years at the FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany, as the team of Ros Canter, Laura Collett, Tom McEwen and Gemma Stevens claimed team gold, while Canter and Collett went on to add individual silver and bronze to the haul.
Having led the competition from the very first day, the British quartet finished the showjumping finale on a score of 84.0 penalties, a commanding margin of more than 11 penalties ahead of hosts Germany, who took silver on 95.6. The United States rounded out the podium in bronze with 113.5.
In the individual standings, home favourite Michael Jung claimed gold aboard fischerChipmunk FRH, delighting the German crowd with his second individual world title, sixteen years after his first in 2010. Yet it was Britain who chased him hardest all the way to the finish, with Canter taking silver on Lordships Graffalo and Collett claiming bronze with London 52.
The championship had begun with 88 combinations from 27 nations, a field that had already been trimmed to 59 following a demanding cross-country day on Saturday. Sunday’s deciding showjumping test, set by course designer Frank Rothenberger, offered thirteen obstacles and sixteen jumping efforts across a spacious grass arena, with a tight 91-second time allowed that proved a serious challenge from the very first rider.
Britain’s individual entry, Caroline Harris, riding D. Day, put in a valiant final round but could not avoid a rub at the opening fence and a costly mistake at the double, finishing on 41.8 having climbed impressively through the field over the week. Though understandably disappointed not to finish on a clear round, having gone three years without a rail down, Harris spoke warmly afterwards of the experience of representing her country alongside such a talented team.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, sitting in podium contention individually, had a single rail down at the notoriously difficult water-tray fence but finished comfortably inside the time, adding a solid and reliable score for the team cause.
Laura Collett and London 52, competing at their seventh consecutive championship together, endured a nervous moment when the gelding briefly caught sight of the water tray and spooked, but Collett’s swift handling ensured the pole stayed in its cup. The result was enough to secure an individual bronze medal to add to the pair’s already considerable collection of championship honours.
The anchor role fell to Ros Canter and the British-bred Lordships Graffalo, affectionately known as Walter. Following a foot-perfect cross-country round the previous day, the pair jumped a faultless final round to guarantee team gold and lock in an individual silver medal, a result that owed much to what Canter described as a genuine complementary partnership between horse and rider.
Beyond the medals themselves, the championship carried Olympic significance, with team gold and silver finishers securing direct qualification for the LA 2028 Games. Britain’s triumph therefore books its place at the next Olympics, alongside Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, New Zealand, Sweden and Belgium, with the United States qualifying automatically as hosts.
Reflecting on a memorable week, team member Tom McEwen praised the strength and spirit of the group, saying the team had achieved exactly what it set out to do. Laura Collett echoed that sense of pride in the whole team, both horses and riders, while Ros Canter spoke movingly of her bond with Walter and the support of his owners throughout his career.
British Equestrian Performance Manager Richard Waygood summed up the achievement best, describing the weight of expectation the team had carried into the championships and the remarkable way they had risen to meet it, crediting years of close teamwork and trust for delivering one of British eventing’s proudest results on foreign soil.
Image: Ros Canter, Laura Collett, Tom McEwen and Gemma Stevens claimed team gold, while Canter and Collett went on to add individual silver and bronze to the haul. Image for illustration purposes.
